Bangladesh's main opposition party has formally rejected talks with the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party about electoral reforms if Islamic fundamentalists are included in the discussion.
Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil has written a letter to the ruling party to convey the decision.
The ruling party says it cannot exclude the leaders of Islamist parties Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikyo Jote from the talks. Both are coalition partners of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.
Former prime minister and Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina has proposed changes to the country's election commission and the system of pre-election caretaker administration.
Political analysts in Dhaka said the standoff could lead to more violence in the run-up to a general election, due by next January.
Jahurul Alam has more on the story.
