The Election Commission (EC) has once again initiated a dialogue with the registered political parties in view of the upcoming National Assembly elections. This dialogue will start this Saturday morning at the election building.
According to EC sources, there are a total of 44 registered political parties in the country. Top leaders of those parties or their designated representatives have been invited to the dialogue. Among the parties, BNP has already announced its decision not to participate in the dialogue.
The dialogue is planned to be held in two slots. The morning session will be held at 10:30 am and the afternoon session at 3 pm. 22 teams will participate in each session. The EC has requested two delegations from each party to participate in the dialogue. Earlier in July last year, a dialogue was held between the EC and the political parties. However, 9 parties including BNP decided not to participate in that dialogue.
Apart from BNP, several other parties in their alliance have told the media that they are not interested in dialogue. These include Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Revolutionary Workers Party, Kalyan Party, JSD.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) is not participating in the dialogue even though it is not in any alliance. Among Islamic parties, Islamic Movement Bangladesh, Khilafat Majlis and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis will not enter into dialogue.
On the other hand, Awami League office secretary Biplab Barua told reporters that party presidium member Lt. Col. (retd.) Farooq Khan and information and research secretary Salim Mahmud will participate in the EC dialogue.
Members of 14 parties including Jasad, Workers Party will go to the dialogue. The same decision was taken by the public forum and the alternative.
The participation list includes Trinamool BNP, NPP, Bangladesh NAP and the newly registered Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), Islami Oikyajot, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Zaker Party and Bangladesh Islami Front.
Election Commission Secretary Md. during the preparation of the dialogue. Jahangir said that a dialogue has been organized with the political parties to inform about the preparations for the national elections. The registered parties have been invited for dialogue in two parts.
According to the constitution, parliamentary elections must be held within 90 days before the end of the five-year term of parliament. The term of the current Parliament will end on January 29. According to the calculations, the countdown to the national elections is starting today from November 1. Accordingly, the commission is preparing to announce the schedule in the middle of this month and hold the election in early January.
The current commission led by Kazi Habibul Awal took the initiative of dialogue with political parties in July last year immediately after assuming office. Although pro-government parties participated, the BNP-led anti-government parties boycotted the dialogue. Recently, when the BNP was again invited for dialogue, the party again rejected the EC’s invitation.
The country’s two main political parties are at odds over the shape of the government during the election. BNP wants the elections to be held under a non-partisan caretaker government. The party is in the field with programs like rallies, mass meetings and even strikes and blockades to get the demands. On the other hand, the ruling Awami League is adamant about the elections under the current government.
