There is no response to the dialogue of the Election Commission (EC); as they invited the nine parties including BNP for informal discussions again, which boycotted the dialogue in the first-second phase but the BNP has already announced that they will not go to the dialogue of the EC and on the other hand, the leaders of eight political parties have also made it clear that they will not go to the dialogue of the EC.
Some parties are angry at the EC's invitation to informal talks. Many parties said that even if they do not go to the dialogue, they will inform the CEC with a counter letter.
Apart from this, there were mistakes in CEC's letter to some parties including CPB, Basad and Kalyan Party. Later on last Saturday, the EC again sent a new letter to the eight parties. However, the parties are angry that the new letter was issued without withdrawing the previous letter and the letter mentions 'informal' discussions.
The EC led by Kazi Habibul Awal started dialogue with the stakeholders from March last year ahead of the 12th national election. As part of this, the EC invited 39 registered political parties for dialogue in July.
Earlier, EC had invited the parties for EVM verification. Like-minded parties including BNP ignored the invitation to see the EVMs.
After that, in the third round of informal talks on March 23, an informal letter was given to the leaders of the BNP and its allied parties to come to the talks. After receiving no official response for more than a week, the Chief Election Commissioner sent separate letters to eight other parties that boycotted the dialogue on Thursday. But no political party has yet responded to EC's call.
The parties boycotting the dialogue are BNP, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BASAD), Bangladesh Muslim League (BML), Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Islami Andolan Bangladesh. and Bangladesh National Party (BJP).
When contacted about joining the EC dialogue, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, General Secretary of BASAD said, “I was outside Dhaka. I came to Dhaka. The decision will be taken after talking to the leaders. To go or not to go is another matter. But what is informal discussion in a formal organization? Let's see what the language of the letter is. I will discuss later.”
Ruhin Hossain Prince, General Secretary of CPB said, “Two letters from EC are now in their hands. They are now confused-angry. Why did EC give another letter without withdrawing it? I will discuss the EC's invitation and take a decision. He is out on a political trip.”
“Ask the EC by telephone or by letter what he thinks about the proposals made earlier to the Election Commission regarding the reform of the electoral system. Then give them feedback,” he added.
Barrister Andaleeve Rahman, Chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) told Bangladesh Pratidin, “The Constitutional Post cannot conduct any informal discussions by letter. Informal is funny. We won't go for the same reason we didn't go in the first place. A political solution is necessary, in fact the Election Commission cannot do anything. EC does not have that power. I do not believe that it will be fruitful.”
Islamic Movement of Bangladesh Secretary General Yunus Ahmed Sekh said, we have not yet taken a final decision on going to dialogue. But we haven't been before. The possibility of not going this time can be assumed.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD Senior Vice President Advocate Chanwar Hossain Talukder said, I have received the letter. A high level meeting of our team will be held next Friday. After the meeting we will inform in writing.
Recently Election Commissioner Md. Alamgir said, “If no major political party participates in the election, the election cannot be called fully participatory. Whether or not to participate in elections is a matter of the political party. EC has nothing to do here. The EC cannot force anyone into the election. The EC can cancel the registration of a party if it does not participate in elections twice in a row.”
In response to the question whether the EC thinks that if a big political party like BNP does not come to the election, the election will not be participatory. Alamgir said, the Election Commission (EC) now has 40 registered political parties. If all the parties participate in the election, it is a participatory election.
BNP held a press conference and said that they will not respond to EC's invitation, nor will they respond to EC's letter. If you want to know the response on this matter. Alamgir said that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has already said that they are expecting a written reply from the BNP. BNP may or may not respond. They will wait for a while.
@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on April 3 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan.
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