BNP skips talks with EC on party registration

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BNP has skipped Sunday's scheduled dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) on party registration, saying that such talks would not be fruitful keeping other newly-framed 'unconstitutional' laws and rules in force, reports UNB.brIn a letter delivered to the EC, BNP said it wants immediate restoration of democracy through a free and fair election with participation of all political parties. 'And BNP is ready to join any discussion to achieve this objective,' the letter said.brThe letter was carried to the Commission by a 6-member delegation led by BNP office secretary Rizvi Ahmed at about 10am.brEarlier, the Election Commission formally invited BNP to the dialogue scheduled for 200pm on the day.brThe letter signed by BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said the Election Commission's 'unwarranted, immoral and partisan' attitude over the leadership of BNP has disappointed the people. Such an attitude has also put the neutrality of the Election Commission into question.brThe BNP letter said the Election Commission declared the political parties as 'main clients' of the election and had several rounds of talks with many parties. But they did not discuss with BNP, the largest party in the country, in framing the Voter List Ordinance br2007, the Voter List Rules 2008, the Representation of People's Order Ordinance 2008 and the Representation of People's Rules 2008.brThe Commission had also re-demarcated parliamentary constituencies without any consultation with BNP, it said.brSince BNP could not give its opinion about these laws and regulations, the letter said these laws and regulations did not reflect the opinion of the majority of the people.brThese new election laws and regulations also failed to earn confidence of the people, it said, adding that even it has been noticed that some political parties that took part in the dialogue with the Election Commission had also publicly stated that the concerned laws and regulations were unacceptable.br'Since these laws and regulations are contrary to the public interest, these will not be helpful in conducting free and fair general elections,' the BNP said in the letter.brAccording to bdnews24.com, the Election Commission will invite BNP again after it refused to join the ongoing third-round dialogue Sunday, the Chief Election Commissioner has said. br'We'll wait for the BNP. The dialogue isn't going to draw to a close without their participation,' ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters after attending a number of meetings with different parties. brElection commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain said to reporters, 'Responding to BNP's letter, we'll issue another letter.' brThe secretary general in his letter said the BNP will not join the dialogue as this meeting has been convened only to discuss the political parties' registration. br[It] will not help in any manner resolve the current deadlock in which we all are stuck, unable to make any headway, Rizvi told reporters, elaborating on his party's stance on the ongoing round of electoral dialogue. brHe said, 'There's hardly any space left for us to join any dialogue with the government, when they kept us, a major political party, out while burdening the nation with undemocratic and anti-people laws and regulations.' br'Under the circumstances, no elections can be held fairly.'br