dpkg/dselect fails with "internal error - no filename ..."

["Randy & Marianne Saint" <saint@phoenix.net>]

While using dselect to install the following packages:
bash_2.01.1-3.1.deb
libreadlineg2_2.1-10.1.deb
I get the following error from the Install step in dselect,
internal error - no filename at -e line12, <P> chunk 18.
I am having trouble figuring out whether there's a workaround through the
Debian bug tracking system.

If you have any advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Randy Saint