Jamaat boycotts talks with EC

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Jamaat-e-Islami Monday boycotted its scheduled third round of dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) saying that the talks are unlikely to yield any positive results, reports UNB.brIn a letter signed by Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, Jamaat said it would not take part in the dialogue.brThe letter sent to the Election Commission Monday morning said the party had earlier participated in two rounds of dialogue with the Commission.brDescribing the reasons for not joining Monday's scheduled talks, the letter said, We had given great importance to the talks and discussed openly. But it doesn't seem that the dialogue has produced any positive results for holding a free, fair and neutral national election.brIt said The government and the Election Commission have already promulgated the Representation of People Ordinance 2008 as well as delimitated the parliamentary constituencies which has already been postponed by the court.brThe letter mentioned that the voter list has not yet been finalised though it was supposed to be finalised by June 30. Initiatives have also been taken to bring ballot boxes from abroad despite having a stock of steel ballot boxes made in Bangladesh. A provision has also been made for 'No' vote.brIt said All these steps have made the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad Election more complicated. The letter further said, Though holding of the Jatiya Sangsad election by 90 days is mandatory, still it seems that the matter has been kept optional. But a firm determination has been shown about holding the upazila elections, which are out of their jurisdiction.brAnd these have made the parliamentary elections uncertain.brYou (CEC) certainly know that I've filed a writ petition with the higher court challenging three matters of the Representation of People Ordinance 2008 because many sections of the Ordinance are contrary to the Constitution, Mujaheed said in the letter to Dr Huda.brThe court has already issued rule nisi following his writ petition, he added.br