HTML clipboardCommerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman has invited the pro-Khaleda faction of BNP to an informal pre-dialogue talk scheduled to be held Monday, a party spokesperson said, reports agency.

Monday's meeting, meant to be preparatory to political dialogue between the government and parties slated for May, is expected to start at 5pm at the state guest house Meghna.

"Hossain Zillur Rahman sent us the invitation via SMS (short messaging service) in the morning to join the pre-dialogue meeting," acting BNP office secretary Rizvi Ahmed told bdnews24.com.

Zillur had earlier invited Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the BNP secretary general nominated by Khaleda Zia, to pre-dialogue talks last week but the meeting was deferred for an unscheduled meeting of the advisory council.

The government has so far held pre-dialogue sessions with Awami League, the BNP reformist faction, Jatiya Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikyo Jote and civil society members. Women leaders and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) sat with the government separately Sunday night.

The advisers who have been participating in the pre-dialogue talks are communications adviser Ghulam Quader, law adviser AF Hassan Ariff, LGRD adviser Anwarul Iqbal, foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman.