EC to kick off dialogue with political parties Saturday; BNP and allies no-show
The Election Commission (EC) will engage in dialogues with political parties starting on Saturday to discuss issues and the preparations regarding the upcoming general elections.
The commission has already invited all the 44 registered political parties in the country.
The EC has scheduled two dialogue sessions daily, from 10:30am to 12pm and 3pm to 4:30pm. Each party is invited to send two delegations to participate in the discussions.
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The Election Commission held dialogues with political parties in July 2022, but nine parties, including the BNP, did not attend.
The BNP and several of its allies, including the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Biplobi Workers Party, Bangladesh Kallyan Party, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), have decided not to participate in the Election Commission dialogue again.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), which is not in any alliance, is also boycotting the EC dialogue. Islamic Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlish, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis are among the Islamic parties that are boycotting the dialogue too.
The Jatiya Party was expected to decide on Friday whether to attend the Election Commission dialogue, but Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu did not answer his phone when called on Friday night.
Awami League Praesidium Member Lt Colonel (retd) Faruk Khan and Information and Research Secretary Salim Mahmud will represent the party in the dialogue, said the party's Office Secretary Biplab Barua.
Members of the 14-party alliance, including Jasad and the Workers Party, will attend the dialogue, according to media reports. Gano Forum and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh have also decided to participate.
Besides, the parties that are not in any alliance but will participate in the dialogue include Trinamool BNP, National People's Party (NPP), Bangladesh NAP and the newly registered Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM).
Among the Islamic parties in favour of going to the EC dialogue are Islami Oikya Jote, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Zaker Party and Bangladesh Islami Front.
