Jalil hospitalised, 14-party meet postponed

His illness led to the postponement of a meeting of the opposition coalition leaders who were due to finalise a reply to the BNP secretary general's invitation for dialogue on electoral reforms.

Jalil, who has been suffering from fever for the last four days, was hospitalised at 7:00pm on doctors' advice after he developed serious breathing problems, said Ashim Kumar Ukil, deputy publicity secretary of the AL.

Jalil, also a cardiac patient, is now under the treatment of Prof Matiur Rahman. He is likely to be flown to Kolkata today for better treatment.

A number of opposition leaders and workers thronged the hospital after hearing the news last night.

The 14-party was due to hold a meeting yesterday to finalise a letter in reply to BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan's dialogue offer.

The AL-led opposition coalition has already drafted the letter describing its stance on the dialogue with the government.

In the draft of the letter, an opposition leader said, they have mentioned that the opposition would not join the dialogue if any anti-liberation element is included in the government side.