EC Starts Dialogue With Political Parties

The Election Commission (EC) sat in dialogue with the parties today (November 4) ahead of the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections. For this, the organization has written to all the registered parties.

Among the 44 registered parties, the EC wanted to sit in dialogue with 22 parties including Bangladesh Awami League at 10:30 am today (Saturday).

However, The discussion meeting of the EC has started with the exclusion of BNP and like-minded parties. The first phase of discussion started at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. 13 registered political parties participated in it. 9 parties did not participate. Among them, 3 parties have already informed by letter that they will not participate in the dialogue. The rest are absent.

Participating in the dialogue on behalf of the Awami League with a representative is former commerce minister Colonel (retd.) Faruk Khan, a member of the presidium of the party.

EC wants to discuss with another 22 parties including BNP in the afternoon. However, the letter could not be delivered to the Secretary General of the BNP and the central office of the party. As a result, BNP's participation in the dialogue is uncertain.

Meanwhile, at least 42 cases have been reported against the party leaders after the BNP's general assembly was marred by clashes on October 28. In these cases, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru, Joint Secretary General Moazzem Hossain Alal, and several leaders were arrested and imprisoned.

House searches are underway at the residences of senior leaders of the party. Police have surrounded the Paltan office of the party.