Bangladesh PM, opposition chief hold phone talks for dialogue

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasian and her arch rival Khaleda Zia held phone talks on Saturday, the first direct conversation between the leaders since 2009. They held talks to pave the way for dialogue between the ruling and the main opposition parties to end impasse over polls-time government formation. Hasina has invited the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia to Gono Bhaban, her official residence, Monday evening to discuss about polls-time government, said an official who preferred to be unnamed. The official in BNP chairperson's office told Xinhua that Hasina, also the ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party president, urged BNP chief to withdraw her call for a three-day non-stop strike from Sunday morning. Footage from local Independent Television showed Hasina talked to Khaleda over mobile phone and said repeatedly "withdraw hartal, withdraw hartal. Join me in a dinner on Oct. 28."