Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia to return to parliament as the two leaders exchanged greetings at an iftar party at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment. "Please come to parliament and speak," Hasina requested her and Khaleda, in response, said nothing but gave a chuckle.

Both the leaders shared the same table during the iftar. Speaker Abdul Hamid, Chief of Army and Air Staff General Md Abdul Mubeen and Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman sat in between the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. Armed Forces Division organised the iftar in honour of the prime minister where the speaker, deputy speakers, ministers, advisers to the prime minister, state ministers, lawmakers, leaders of different political parties, foreign diplomats, senior civil and military officials were also present.

About the prime minister's call to the opposition leader, Speaker Abdul Hamid told reporters that he hoped that Khaleda Zia would join the House after Eid-ul-Fitr. He said that there was a cordial environment when the two leaders were exchanging views. "I feel really good when I see them together in programmes like this," the speaker said. The speaker was seen helping the leader of the opposition in taking iftar items with a big smile on his face. Khaleda, also the BNP chairperson, along with few BNP lawmakers and leaders reached the venue at around 6:55pm while Hasina arrived at 7:00pm.

Army Chief Gen Mubeen, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral ZU Ahmed, Air Force Chief Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rehman and Principal Staff Officer Maj Gen Abdul Wadud received the prime minister at the programme. Entering the venue the Hasina exchanged pleasantries with the invited guests. At about 7:10 she went on to the stage and greeted Khaleda. Then the two leaders shared pleasantries for around a minute, which created a jubilant environment there.

Last year both the leaders also shared some moments together at the Armed Forces Day Ceremony. In recent times, Khaleda visited Hasina's home to offer condolences on the death of the prime minister's husband Dr M Wazed Miah in May this year. A special prayer was offered for the development of armed forces and continued peace, advancement and prosperity of the country at the ifter party.

-daily star

Return to parliament, Hasina asks Khaleda

bdnews: Prime minister Sheikh Hasina requested leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia to return to parliament on Thursday as the two party chiefs, who rarely meet face to face, attended an armed forces iftar programme at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment. The two shared pleasantries, before addressing the issue of the opposition's unofficial boycott of parliament. Hasina arrived at the venue at around 7pm, while Khaleda had reached there a little earlier.

Khaleda's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com that the BNP chairperson went up to the prime minister as the latter was exchanging greetings with other guests on her arrival. Khaleda greeted Hasina with a "How are you?" Hasina replied she was well and enquired after Khaleda's well being too, before coming straight to the point and saying, "Come back to parliament."

The leader of the opposition said her party wanted to return to the House. "We want to assist the government. But the government has refused our assistance." At a later point, when all were seated, Hasina, turning to speaker Abdul Hamid at her table, said within earshot of others present: "Please make her understand, so that she returns to parliament."

Both leaders were seated at the top table for the meal, Hasina flanked by the navy chief at her left side and the army chief, air chief, speaker and Khaleda on her right. Before the iftar meal began, a prayer was said for the well being and prosperity of the nation and the armed forces. Hasina left Senakunja at 7:30pm while Khaleda departed the programme at 7:50pm.

The occasion marked only the third time the two have met following their separate releases from special jails in 2008. Last year saw the two, oft-times bitter rivals, also sharing a table at an Armed Forces Day ceremony during the caretaker government. In a more recent meeting this year, Khaleda visited Hasina's Sudha Sadan home to offer condolences on the death of the prime minister's husband Dr M Wazed Miah in May.

Hasina asks Khaleda to join JS

The Indepedent: In yet another rare gesture of political harmony, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her arch political rival BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday talked to each other at an iftar party hosted by the Bangladesh Army at armed forces at the Dhaka Cantonment. Held at the Senakunja, former prime minister Begum Zia arrived at the venue at around 6.45 pm, about 15 minutes before the arrival of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also minister for defence.

While moving towards the seat reserved for her, Sheikh Hasina took a pause in front of Begum Zia and asked her about her wellbeing. Both of them were smiling at this rare moment amid flashing of cameras. Begum Zia also inquired about the wellbeing of the Prime Minister. Then the Prime Minister said, "Thank you for coming…You (Khaleda) do not come to parliament, came to iftar party; it's a good sign." The Prime Minister then said, "Come to parliament, we'll listen to you."

In response, Begum Zia gave a wide smile and exchanged pleasantries which continued for about a minute before the Prime Minister moved to her seat. Among others, Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid, cabinet members and former president HM Ershad were present in the Iftar. Earlier, the chiefs of three services earlier received the Prime Minister on her arrival. Both Hasina and Khaleda later shared a table at the start of the Iftar.

Earlier in May this year, Begum Zia rushed to Sudha Sadan to console the prime minister after death of her husband Dr M Wazed Mia. Also in November last year, both of them exchanged pleasantries at an Armed Forces Day ceremony at the Senakunja. UNB adds : Premier Hasina was flanked by Army Chief General Md. Abdul Mubeen, Navy Chief Rear Admiral ZU Ahmed and Air Chief Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman. Speaker Abdul Hamid, Khaleda Zia, Deputy Leader in Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, JP chief HM Ershad and Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon also sat at the head table.

A few days back, the Prime Minister and the oppositon leader bartered invitations for iftar on the same day, August 29, but both the top leaders refrained from responding to each other's invitation. Today's military-hosted iftar was preceded by special munajat seeking peace and prosperity of the nation. After the iftar, the three chiefs had separate meeting with the Prime Minister over a cup of tea.

Haisna, Khaleda meet at iftar party

The New Age: The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and the leader of the opposition in parliament, Khaleda Zia, met and talked with each other after four months as the two top leaders attended an iftar party at Senakunja in the Dhaka cantonment on Thursday. The two political arch-rivals last met each other at Hasina’s house, Sudha Sadan, on May 9 when Khaleda went there to console Hasina at the death of her husband M Wazed Miah.

Hasina and Khaleda shared a table at an Armed Forces Day programme during the military-controlled interim regime in 2008. The prime minister reached Senakunja at about 7:00pm and Khaleda reached minutes before Hasina’s arrival. Both the leaders exchanged pleasantries and inquired about each other’s wellbeing. Khaleda, who sat beside the parliament speaker, Abdul Hamid, received Hasina and inquired about her health.

The prime minister then called on Khaleda to join the ongoing parliament session which began on September 8 amid boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. ‘Join the parliament and if you have any demands, then realize it from the speaker in consultation,’ Hasina told Khaleda. She also urged the speaker to bring back the opposition to the parliament by meeting their demands, the prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told New Age.

In response to Hasina’s request, Kheleda told her, ‘We have already offered our cooperation. It is up to you to decide how you see it.’ Khaleda’s press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan quoted her as saying. Khaleda left the iftar party hosted by the Armed Forces Division when Hasina called on the chief of the three services after iftar. Before leaving the party, Hasina talked with former parliament speaker Jamiruddin Sircar and urged him to take initiatives so that the BNP would join the parliament. Jamiruddin assured the prime minister that he would take measures to take the opposition to the house.

On August 29, the two top leaders hosted iftar for politicians where they invited each other, but neither the prime minister nor the leader of the opposition or any representative of either the Awami League or the BNP turned up at each other’s iftar party. Leaders of the different political parties, army chief General Md Abdul Mubeen, navy chief Rear Admiral ZU Ahmed and air force chief Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman. deputy leader in the parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, former caretaker government advisers and other high armed forces officials attended.