EC invites BNP, allies to Saturday dialogue
Friday, 19 September 2008
The Election Commission (EC) Thursday formally invited BNP and its political allies to a conclusive dialogue on election preparations, to be held tomorrow (Saturday), reports UNB.
EC secretary M Humayun Kabir told a press briefing that they would separately sit with the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jote to get their views before announcing specific dates for the upcoming elections.
The announcement of the specific dates for elections, including the stalled parliamentary polls, is expected Monday.
Kabir said the EC would hold meeting with Jamaat at 10:30am, at 11:30am with the BNP, and at 2:00pm with the Islami Oikya Jote.
After the incumbent caretaker government took office in January last year, this is for the first time Khaleda Zia's BNP is going to sit with the EC to talk about election issues.
The BNP secretary general has already said that they would ask the EC not to hold any election before the national one, while hinted that preparation of the electoral roll and the Representation of People Order (RPO) will also come up for discussion in the dialogue.
About the agenda of the talks from the EC's side, Kabir said the dialogue is an open discussion with the political parties.
"Any election-related issue can be discussed during the dialogue. I hope the dialogue will be successful," he said.
Replying to another question, the EC secretary said everybody would be able to know on Saturday if the dialogue would be open for the media.
"The dialogue is being arranged hastily because of limited time," he said, indicating the delayed consent of BNP to sit following a breakthrough made with Khaleda's release from prison.
About the left-out voters, he said the Commission was thinking about including the people who have failed to register for genuine reasons.
Replying to another question, he said the first consignment of the ballot boxes has already reached the country and is now awaiting customs clearance.
About the registration of the political parties, another pre-election task, the EC secretary said October 15 is the deadline for submitting application for the registration with the commission.
He ruled out any possibility of extending the deadline for submitting application, as the elections are not far off.
"It will be difficult to extend the timeframe beyond October 15, as it may delay the election," he said.
The general election is tentatively slated for the third week of December.
EC secretary M Humayun Kabir told a press briefing that they would separately sit with the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Jote to get their views before announcing specific dates for the upcoming elections.
The announcement of the specific dates for elections, including the stalled parliamentary polls, is expected Monday.
Kabir said the EC would hold meeting with Jamaat at 10:30am, at 11:30am with the BNP, and at 2:00pm with the Islami Oikya Jote.
After the incumbent caretaker government took office in January last year, this is for the first time Khaleda Zia's BNP is going to sit with the EC to talk about election issues.
The BNP secretary general has already said that they would ask the EC not to hold any election before the national one, while hinted that preparation of the electoral roll and the Representation of People Order (RPO) will also come up for discussion in the dialogue.
About the agenda of the talks from the EC's side, Kabir said the dialogue is an open discussion with the political parties.
"Any election-related issue can be discussed during the dialogue. I hope the dialogue will be successful," he said.
Replying to another question, the EC secretary said everybody would be able to know on Saturday if the dialogue would be open for the media.
"The dialogue is being arranged hastily because of limited time," he said, indicating the delayed consent of BNP to sit following a breakthrough made with Khaleda's release from prison.
About the left-out voters, he said the Commission was thinking about including the people who have failed to register for genuine reasons.
Replying to another question, he said the first consignment of the ballot boxes has already reached the country and is now awaiting customs clearance.
About the registration of the political parties, another pre-election task, the EC secretary said October 15 is the deadline for submitting application for the registration with the commission.
He ruled out any possibility of extending the deadline for submitting application, as the elections are not far off.
"It will be difficult to extend the timeframe beyond October 15, as it may delay the election," he said.
The general election is tentatively slated for the third week of December.