Jatiya Party to decide on joining or boycotting polls within a couple of days: Chunnu

As there is no visible effort to hold political talks, the Jatiya Party will decide within a couple of days whether the party will join the next national election or not.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu came up with the announcement while talking to reporters at the party president's Banani office.

He said although US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu sent letters to three major parties for talks, so far there has been no sign of dialogue.

Chunnu said the BNP did not clearly say anything about the dialogue while the ruling party turned it down.

In this situation, he said there is now a question of whether the Jatiya Party will go to the election or not.

"Our senior leaders will convene a meeting of our praesidium members, if necessary, and we'll decide through discussions within a day or two whether we will go to the polls or not," Chunnu said.

He, however, said their party still wants political talks to ensure a credible and participatory election.

On 15 November, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced that the 12th parliamentary election of the country will be held on January 7.

The CEC came up with the announcement for the next election schedule while addressing the nation.

Soon after the announcement of the Election Schedule, Jatiya Party chief patron Raushan Ershad welcomed it through a statement.

Some leaders, loyal to Raushan, said they would participate in the election, but most of the party's grassroots leaders loyal to its chairman GM Quader at a recent meeting suggested not going to polls under the current government.