The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

An Election Commissioner yesterday hinted that the Commission would invite all factions of the mainstream political parties in its dialogue on electoral reforms.

Election Commissioner Brig General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said the Election Commission (EC) would invite the mainstream faction of any political party to sit for dialogue in preparation for the coming national polls.

The Election Commissioner made the remark when asked to which faction of the BNP they would send leter inviting to dialogue against the backdrop of recent split in the major political party.

As per the criterion fixed earlier by the EC, it would invite any or all political parties, who have at least one former lawmakers elected to Parliament after the Liberation War.

Both the factions of the BNP led by Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Khandaker Delwar Hossain has got a number of former MPs to their credit

Sakhawat Hossain disclosed that the EC would hold election to Rajshahi City Corporation at the end of January or middle of February next year (2008), seting the train of electoral politics on its track after a long pause, created due to the confrontational politics that stalled the January 22 general elections.

About the proposed dialogue, he said, “We are sending the leter just 15 to 20 days before the scheduled date of dialogue. We will send the leter to the person who would be secretary general of the party at that time.”

He said it is no concern for the EC. “Comings and goings in the political parties are a continuous process and it has always been there in the past, present and be in future.”

Sakhawat said, “Our concern is to consult the 15 parties whom we have invited to sit for dialogue.”

Asked which BNP the EC would send leter on the verge of recent crisis, he said the leter would be sent to the mainstream BNP.

“It is too early to say,” Sakhawat replied to a query as to which BNP would be called mainstream party, as the expelled BNP Secretary General Mannan Bhuiyan is backed by more leaders and former MPs than that of Khandaker Delwar.

He pointed out that there are rules in the Representation of People Order (RPO) regarding the solution of such circumstances.

“If any political party, which is recognised by the Election Commission and has taken part in the elections, splits that would come under the third criteria of holding dialogue with us….Whenever a party emerges with a new name spliting from another, it would be considered a new party.”

He said the task of voter list in Rajshahi City Corporation area is almost done. “Till yesterday, around 2,51,000 voters have been listed along with their photographs,” he said.

The draft voters’ list (of Rajshahi City Corporation) would be validated in January next year, he said, adding that the RCC elections would be held at the end of January or middle of February.

According to the schedule, the preparation of voters’ list of RCC was supposed to be completed yesterday (Thursday), but it would continue one or two days more for those voters who have not yet registered their names.