BNP set for talks with EC over election plans

A delegation from the party will also meet the chief advisor on Monday

A BNP delegation is set to meet with the Election Commission, or EC, to discuss preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The three-member team, led by BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, will visit the EC offices in Dhaka's Agargaon at 3:30pm on Sunday. The delegation will also include Standing Committee members Salahuddin Ahmed and Selima Rahman.

“We aim to assess the current status of preparations for the national election and take stock of the commission’s actions so far. We will also discuss various issues, including reforms to election laws,” Salahuddin said.

“We have several proposals concerning the elections, which we will present to the commission.”

This will be the BNP’s first meeting with the newly appointed EC, led by AMM Nasir Uddin, since its formation on Nov 21, 2024.

Salahuddin noted that the EC has almost completed preparing the voter roll. “We have received the list, and the finalised version will be ready by Mar 2. After that, the hearing and objection process will continue, which should be completed within a couple of months. The EC has already notified us about this.”

The BNP leader also said that the delimitation process will proceed as scheduled and that most election-related tasks, aside from legal reforms, should not take much time. “Based on past experience, we have a clear idea of how long the EC needs to organise a free and fair election,” he said.

The BNP has been calling for the national elections to be held by midyear. Its National Standing Committee, the party’s highest policy-making body, has announced plans to hold rallies in all 64 districts to push for an expedited election roadmap.

As part of this effort, a high-level BNP delegation will meet with the EC. Additionally, Salahuddin confirmed that another BNP team is scheduled to meet with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Monday.