BNP unlikely to join EC formation dialogue
Search committees were formed earlier also, but in vain as the committee members were loyal to government
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is unlikely to take part in the dialogue, initiated by President Abdul Hamid over the formation of the next Election Commission (EC), scheduled to start Monday.
Several top BNP leaders told The Business Standard that the party high command is not interested in joining the dialogue, although no final decision has yet been made.
BNP's Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, "We will discuss whether we would participate in the dialogue initiated by the president over formation of the EC.
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He said, "We participated in such dialogues earlier in 2012 and 2017 also. Search committees were formed after those dialogues. But unfortunately, it was not fruitful as the search committee members were loyal to the government. The ECs formed as per the recommendations of the search committees failed to hold any free and fair election. We apprehend that the future EC will repeat the past. They will not be able to hold a fair election. So, taking part in the dialogue is meaningless."
"Electing a neutral government is more important than forming an EC. Otherwise, free elections will not be possible for any EC," the BNP leader observed.
President Abdul Hamid will take part in a series of talks with the registered political parties, scheduled to start 20 December, before appointing the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners. The nine parties having representation in the parliament might be invited first.
On the first day of the dialogue, the president will hold talks with Jatiya Party (JP), the opposition at the parliament.
JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu said, "We have decided to participate in the dialogue at Bangabhaban as the president has invited us. Before joining the dialogue, we will sit in a meeting on Sunday to determine our strategy."
The president has to form a new EC before the expiration of the tenure of the existing EC on 14 February, 2022. The new EC will conduct the next national election.
The president will hold talks with 31 out of 39 political parties registered with the EC.
Joynal Abedin, press secretary to the president, said, "In order to end the dialogue within the shortest possible time, the president is likely to hold talks with more than one political parties a day. The president will hold talks with the ruling Awami League also."
During the last two terms, the president formed the EC based on the recommendations of the 'Search Committee'.
As per the constitution, the president is authorised to appoint a CEC and more than four commissioners to hold the national polls.
According to the constitution, a law has to be enacted to form the EC, but the law is yet to be enacted even after 50 years of independence.
