Dhaka: Ruling out the possibility of any dialogue with BNP over the next general election, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said there might be communication with the party.

‘There’s neither any scope nor any possibility of dialogue. But, I think, there might be contact. What’s the problem in it? Even the hardest ice can be melted with communication,’ he said while talking to reporters at his Secretariat office.

Quader, also Awami League general secretary, was responding to queries from reporters about possible talks with BNP over the 11^th parliamentary elections.

Mentioning that he is in favour of maintaining communication with other political parties, he cited his meetings with Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chief Col (retd) Oli Ahmad to this end. ‘In politics, personal communication can remove conflicts,’ he said.

Questioning the justification of discussions with BNP, the ruling party leader said, ‘How the election will be held is clearly described in the constitution. The election will be held as per the constitution. So, over what the dialogue will be held?’

Replying to a query about BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comments that he would talk to Quader if he phones him, the minister said, ‘They’ve tagged conditions here, too. Should anyone impose condition for any telephonic conversation? But, I think, there’s a need of telephonic conversation.’

Asked whether he will take the initiative to make a call to BNP, Quader said, ‘I won’t make any call if there’s any condition. I don’t believe in any condition.’

Responding to another query about the meeting with Kader Siddique, he said it was not a political one.

About the expansion of the Awami League-led coalition, the ruling party leader said if any party wants to join it, they will take the decision after discussions with the alliance partners.

Asked whether they want to take the left-leaning parties in their combine, Quader said it will happen if both sides want to do so.

He also expressed the hope that BNP will remain in the field till the last moment in Monday’s elections to three city corporations.