Specific poll dates will be announced after dialogue with BNP, says CEC
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda Monday said the Commission would announce the specific dates for all elections at the same time on completion of dialogue with BNP, reports UNB.
The CEC expressed the hope that the dialogue with the BNP would be held by this week and then the Commission would declare particular dates for the national election and that of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and upazilas.
"We intend to announce specific dates for all elections at the same time," he told journalists to a question at the EC Secretariat in the afternoon.
Replying to a question, the CEC said the Commission would sit in dialogue with the BNP as early as possible to listen to their views, as "we've listened to other political parties. Now we've to listen to theirs (BNP)," he said.
About BNP's condition to amend some RPO provisions, Huda said the Commission does not want to amend the present RPO again as it has already been revised and amended several times.
Earlier, a BNP delegation handed over a BNP letter to the CEC and demanded that the Election Commission (EC) arrange a dialogue with it soon for taking a meaningful and fruitful decision.
BNP joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan and office secretary Rizvi Ahmed handed over the letter.
After handing over the letter, Nazrul Islam said the BNP wanted to discuss all matters relating to the elections with the EC although the EC had mentioned in its invitation letter to discuss only party registration.
He said the BNP thought that the voter list ordinance and delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies were election-related issues. "So it's necessary to discuss all these issues," he said.
Nazrul Islam expressed the hope that the EC would agree to discuss these issues and hold a dialogue with the BNP in a day or two. "We hope that the dialogue will be held within a day or two," he said replying to a question.
The CEC expressed the hope that the dialogue with the BNP would be held by this week and then the Commission would declare particular dates for the national election and that of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and upazilas.
"We intend to announce specific dates for all elections at the same time," he told journalists to a question at the EC Secretariat in the afternoon.
Replying to a question, the CEC said the Commission would sit in dialogue with the BNP as early as possible to listen to their views, as "we've listened to other political parties. Now we've to listen to theirs (BNP)," he said.
About BNP's condition to amend some RPO provisions, Huda said the Commission does not want to amend the present RPO again as it has already been revised and amended several times.
Earlier, a BNP delegation handed over a BNP letter to the CEC and demanded that the Election Commission (EC) arrange a dialogue with it soon for taking a meaningful and fruitful decision.
BNP joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan and office secretary Rizvi Ahmed handed over the letter.
After handing over the letter, Nazrul Islam said the BNP wanted to discuss all matters relating to the elections with the EC although the EC had mentioned in its invitation letter to discuss only party registration.
He said the BNP thought that the voter list ordinance and delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies were election-related issues. "So it's necessary to discuss all these issues," he said.
Nazrul Islam expressed the hope that the EC would agree to discuss these issues and hold a dialogue with the BNP in a day or two. "We hope that the dialogue will be held within a day or two," he said replying to a question.