All eyes are on the Bangabhaban as the president begins his dialogue with political parties on Sunday to form a new Election Commission (EC).
Published : 18 Dec 2016, 01:02 PM
To ensure an EC 'acceptable to all', President Md Abdul Hamid has taken the initiative for talks to form a search committee, just like his predecessor did in 2012.
The talks start on Sunday afternoon with a 13-member BNP delegation led by Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
On Tuesday, Jatiya Party, the opposition in the House, is scheduled to meet the president.
The next day has been set aside for discussions with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Krishak-Sramik-Janata League.
On Thursday, the president will meet Awami League's ally the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD).
On Dec 12, the president's office announced the schedule for the talks and asked the BNP to decide on a 10-member delegation for the talks.
The BNP, which boycotted the 2014 national election, had forwarded the details of the 10-member delegation to the Bangabhaban, but later requested to include three more.
Senior leaders Tarikul Islam and Mirza Abbas were initially included in the list.
But Tarikul told bdnews24.com that he could not attend due to health reasons while Abbas' family informed that he is in Singapore for treatment.
The BNP, which describes the current EC as 'pliant', has called the president to form an independent commission that can work free of government influence during the upcoming general election.
"We want an impartial commission formed through consent of all political parties," Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul told bdnews24.com.
BNP chief Khaleda briefed the press last month over her views on the new Election Commission and formation of the search committee.
She raised thirteen points, focusing on constituting the Election Commission through a consensus reached by all registered political parties and also those that have been represented in the Parliament from the time of Bangladesh's liberation.
Mirza Fakhrul said their Sunday's talks with the president will also discuss the party chief's proposals.
Jatiya Party, which replaced the BNP as opposition in the House after the 2014 polls, also says it wants a commission 'acceptable to all.'
"We are scheduled to meet the president on Dec 20, when will urge him for forming an Election Commission which will be acceptable to all," Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader.
The president's office says all preparations have been made for the talks.
"The talks with the political parties will be held at Bangabhaban's Darbar Hall," Press Secretary to the President Md Joynal Abedin told bdnews24.com.
A Bangabhaban official said that after the first round of talks this week, a few more political parties will be also invited.