BNP-led alliance to propose names to search committee for election commissioners

The 20-Party alliance led by the BNP has decided to suggest names for the election commissioners.

Despite being sceptical about the neutrality of the search committee constituted to form the next Election Commission, it has nevertheless decided to respond to the call to submit suggestions for the names of the commissioners.

On Monday, general secretaries of the 20 parties held talks with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Following the meeting, LDP General Secretary Redwan Ahmed told journalists, "We have arrived at a consensus on sending names to the search committee. We are sending the names. Whose name would be sent when and how will be decided (on Monday night)."

Barring the BNP, six other parties--Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh NAP, Muslim League and Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam--were invited for discussion with the president prior to the search committee formation.

Each of these parties will propose separate names to the committee.

Mirza Fakhrul did not speak to the media following the meeting.

After the search committee sought names for the EC, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia held a meeting with the party's Standing Committee at her Gulshan office.

The meeting was adjourned until Monday night.

Details about the meeting would be shared after its conclusion, Fakhrul said Sunday.

The BNP had vented its resentment at the choice of the search committee. They expressed doubts about neutrality of five of the six members of the committee.

Fakhrul had said that groundwork was on to constitute an EC like the outgoing one.

His party had boycotted the parliamentary elections in 2014 that installed arch-rival Awami League to a second straight term.