EC to hold talks with 12 parties, including Jamaat, on Monday ahead of general election

The Election Commission is going to hold talks with 12 political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, on Monday for its third day of dialogue with political stakeholders ahead of the parliamentary elections.

On Saturday, EC’s Public Relations Assistant Director Md Ashadul Haque said the first session would begin at 10:30am at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon and continue until 12:30pm.

The morning session will include six parties: Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Cultural Freedom Alliance, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, and Bangladesh Muslim League-BML.

The second two-hour session will feature another six parties: the Jamaat-e-Islami, the Amar Bangladesh Party, the Bangladesh Development Party, the Bangladesh Islami Front, the Khelafat Majlis, and the National Democratic Party-JAGPA.

The EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, has been holding dialogues with political parties since last week to ensure free, fair, neutral, and credible elections.

On Thursday, the first day of dialogue included discussions with 12 parties in two sessions, while another 12-party meeting is scheduled for Sunday.

At present, 53 parties, including the BNP and Jamaat, are registered with the EC. The registration of the Awami League is suspended, while Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Freedom Party, and Oikyaboddho Nagorik Andolan have had their registration cancelled.

New parties, including the National Citizen Party, Bangladesh Aam Jonogon Party, and Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal–Marxist, are in the final stages of registration and are expected to receive certificates after Nov 12 if there are no objections.

In a recent address to the nation, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus announced that the national elections and the July Charter referendum will be held on the same day in the first half of February.