DHAKA: In spite of denying of secretary-level meeting, the government admitted that the meeting between Ruling Awami League general secretary and opposition BNP acting secretary general held for discussing prevailing political crisis.

Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu made the disclosure at secretariat on Sunday.

He said, “The meeting was a good initiative to ease the prevailing political gridlock and we hope that the initiative will continue for a free and fair pools.”
     
On Saturday night, Ruling Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam and opposition BNP Acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had a meeting secretly on Saturday midnight.

However, the opposition denied the much-talked-about meeting and termed it as a rumor.

While talking to journalists about the publication of the New York Times editorial criticizing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the minister said, the government will send a rejoinder to the New York Times protesting the editorial.

The New York Times editorial stated that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appears ‘determined to hang on to power’ ahead of the upcoming elections.

BDST: 1615 HRS, NOV 24, 2013