The delegations of the Awami League and BNP have left Dhaka for London to attend a seminar on “Democracy, good governance and human rights in Bangladesh” to be held tomorrow.
Britain's House of Lords invited both the parties to join the daylong seminar.
A six-member BNP delegation, led by its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early morning yesterday to attend the seminar.
The other members of the team are Shamsher M Chowdhury, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan, Nasiruddin Asim, and Naushad Jamir -- son of BNP lawmaker Jamiruddin Sircar.
The AL delegation, led by prime minister's adviser HT Imam, also left Dhaka to attend the seminar, deputy office secretary of the party Mrinal Kanti Das told The Daily Star yesterday.
Fakhrul Islam, Amir Khasru and Ashim -- who are considered trustworthy by BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman -- are likely to meet him in London, the BNP sources said.
Tarique has been staying there since 2008 for “treatment” purpose.
The meeting with Tarique is considered to be important considering the BNP's ongoing anti-government movement, and the party-blessed candidates' victory in the recent elections to five city corporations.
While talking to reporters at the airport, Fakhrul said he had no schedule for any formal meeting with Tarique.
“I will talk to him over the phone to know about his physical condition,” Fakrul said.
Pointing to political standoff over holding the next general polls, Fakhrul threatened to go for a strong movement after Eid-ul-Fitr if the government does not take any initiative for dialogue to resolve the crisis.