Create an atmosphere conducive to election

Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), a platform of left-leaning political parties, urged on Tuesday the government to create an atmosphere for holding an election free, neutral, participatory and acceptable to all, reports UNB.

They also called upon the government to dissolve parliament before announcement of the election schedule, form a neutral caretaker government, reform the Election Commission, scrap use of the EVM, stop filing political cases and withdraw the existing cases and create a level-playing field in the election for all parties.

LDA Convener Saiful Huq, who is also the general secretary of Biplobi Worker's Party, informed this to reporters after emerging from the dialogue with the Awami League-led 14-party alliance held at Ganobhaban.

He said they asked the government to take effective steps to accept their demands for the sake of holding the next general election in a credible manner.

Responding to a question, Saiful Huq said they will fix their next course of action after the PM's press conference which is scheduled to be held on Thursday.

He also mentioned that the LDA wants to participate in the election and that is why they joined dialogue.

Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of Communist Party of Bangladesh, said the ball is now at the court of the Prime Minister and everything is depending on her decision. "We're ready both for joining the election and boycotting it, too," he said.