Khaleda meets Amini Tuesday

The appointment was fixed following the IOJ's seven-day 'ultimatum' given on July 3 to meet its demands or face the resignation of its lawmaker Amini from the Jatiya Sangsad (JS).

"The IOJ leaders sought an appointment with the prime minister and accordingly time has been given at 1:30pm on Tuesday," said Prime Minister's Political Secretary Mosaddak Ali.

Amini declared his decision to step down from the JS during a meeting of the top leaders of the four-party alliance with the prime minister on July 2 for not giving him or anyone from his party any ministerial job.

Later, the IOJ put off the resignation for a week after a meeting of its highest policymaking body, Majlish-e-Sura.

Sources said the Majlish-e-Sura discussed demands to be raised before the prime minister and prepared a draft.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, IOJ leader Ahalullah Wasel said the party does not want representation in the cabinet, but is serious about resolving some of its 'genuine' demands.

He said the IOJ leaders, during their meeting with PM on Tuesday, will place over a dozen demands and press for their early implementation.

The demands include cancellation of the law related to 'fatwa', trial of the killing that took place at

Brahmanbaria during the Awami League regime as well as compensation to the victims' family, an end to purchase of and ban on introduction of Moududi's book to madrassah syllabus and withdrawal of 'false' cases against the IOJ leaders and activists during the AL regime.

IOJ sources said at the Sura meeting Amini requested his party colleagues not to press the PM for inducting anyone from the party into the cabinet. The Sura accordingly has decided not to send anyone to hold ministerial portfolio even if the government requests.

Meanwhile, sources in the BNP said they had intended to include leaders from both the IOJ and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) in the cabinet, but both the parties have internal rifts that prevented them from nominating their men for the cabinet.

A BNP policymaker said induction of the IOJ into the cabinet became much more difficult after the party split into two and it is not possible for the government to pick up two persons from two factions.

Similarly, there is a serious trouble in the BJP, as there is personal conflict among some top leaders and no one is ready to give concession to the other.

"We can think about their inclusion in the cabinet if they themselves resolved their own problems. It will not be wise for us to accommodate any of them in any government before then," the leader said.