Bangladesh PM rules out talks with opposition chief

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has again ruled out the possibility of any dialogue with the main opposition alliance chief.

"No dialogue with her (ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia). Can't talk with a killer whose hands are stinking with stench of burning people," she said while addressing at a rally of her Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party on Saturday in the city.

Hasina, also president of AL, questioned, "who will talk to a militant leader like Khaleda who is responsible for killing even infants and expectant mothers in the name of politics?"

The Bangladeshi PM on several occasions in the last couple months expressed her reluctance to hold talks with two-time former PM Khaleda regarding fresh elections.

Khaleda's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies have enforced non-stop countrywide blockade since Jan. 6, demanding fresh parliament elections under a non-party caretaker government system.

On top of its blockade campaign, the opposition alliance has been enforcing countrywide strike at regular intervals since January.

Fresh wave of political violence has left scores of people dead, mostly in arson attacks.

The BNP chief has denied involvement of her alliance men in violence. She rather blamed ruling party for unpleasant incidents to divert people's attention from her anti-government movements.

Hasina on Saturday not merely ruled out possibility of holding dialogue but also reiterated her comment to go tough against all those responsible for creating countrywide anarchic situation.

Meanwhile, she asked Khaleda to shun the path of violence, saying, "people have rejected your movement." Endi