EC starts fresh dialogue with 16 parties on Sept 6

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The Election Commission (EC) will sit for a third round of dialogue with 16 of the political parties from September 6 to talk out objections regarding their registration that is mandatory for contesting the general election, reports UNB.

Amid latest developments on the political front, the EC will now invite the BNP faction led by its new secretary general Khondoker Delwar Hossain in the fresh round of dialogues on behalf of the immediate-past ruling party.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda Thursday said the Commission would sit for dialogue with political parties from September 6 to settle some objections being raised over the party-registration process.

"The objections, especially on registration time, will be solved through discussion with the political parties," he told journalists replying to a question at the EC secretariat in the afternoon.

Replying to another question, the CEC said the Commission would invite the BNP faction led by Khondoker Delwar Hossain as secretary general to participate in the upcoming dialogue.

EC sources said the Commission would start off on September 6 with Workers Party at 10:30, holding talks with four parties a day under the new schedule. The EC will sit with BNP on September 7 at 2.00 pm while with Awami league (AL) on September 9.00 at 2.00 pm.

Meanwhile, eight political parties collected the registration forms from the EC Thursday, after the barren first day.

The political parties include National People's Party, Islamic Shashantantra Andolan, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Independent Gono Andolan, Bangladesh Sachetan Nagorik Moncho, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Jamaat-e-Olama Dol and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dol led by Abdul Malek Ratan.