The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Dialogues between the Election Commission and political parties, scheduled to start on September 12, are unlikely to get off on time as the politicians are yet to be prepared for the consultation under the ban on politics.

However, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda Saturday told UNB that the EC would again sit with the government to discuss the mater of removing the roadblocks.

"And if the ban doesn't go till September 11, the dates may need to be rescheduled," he said.

"We feel the necessity of holding the dialogue, but for that formal decision of the party is needed. We are waiting to see government step," said M Abdul Latif Nizami, secretary general of Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) which was scheduled to sit for the opening round of discussion with the EC on September 12.

"Why should we violate the sate of emergency? Our decision of holding dialogue will depend on circumstances. The decision can be taken even at the last moment," the IOJ secretary general said talking to UNB Saturday.

The dialogue on electoral reforms between the EC and Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) is scheduled for September 16. However, KSJL president Kader Siddiqui told the news agency Saturday that on September 10, they would take party members' opinion as to whether they would go for dialogue or not

"We are very much interested about the dialogue… We will definitely go for discussion if suitable environment is created. Otherwise, we won't go… Still taking part in the discussion is under question," said the outspoken politician.

Taking decision on holding dialogue with the EC is difficult as indoor politics is closed now, the KSJL president said. Till now, he added, they are maintaining the state of emergency and government's request for not doing politics as they believe that it should be done in greater interest of the country. On the other hand, dialogue between EC and Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) is scheduled for September 27, but the party applied to the EC for deferring the date into October as their secretary general would not be available on the scheduled date.

"We believe in dialogue in any circumstances… We would go for it, no mater whether the ban on indoor politics goes or not," JP presidium member Ziauddin Bablu told UNB Saturday.

"We hoped the ban on indoor politics would be lifted before schedule… there are still a couple of days… If it doesn't go before September 11, we would again need to discuss the issue with the government," CEC Dr Huda told UNB.

"There may be some problem of the government about lifting the ban on indoor politics… But my assertion is why it wouldn't take place when we the stakeholders (EC and government) took the decision after discussing the mater," he said.

"But that doesn't mean that we are deviated from our target… There could be some five or six days' delay and the dates could be rescheduled," CEC Huda said when asked if the dialogue was poised to run into trouble at the very outset

The CEC observed that there is flexibility in the EC-proposed dialogue schedule. "If the schedule was to be in October, it wouldn't be any problem as the draft reform proposals that we are to discuss with the political parties could be finalized even after six months," he said.

The EC on July 15 announced its roadmap towards election by the end of 2008, with plan for holding dialogue with the political parties from September to November this year.

On August 12, the EC announced that they would primarily sit with the representatives of 15 political parties selected.

The schedules for the selected parties are: IOJ Sept 12, Krishak Sramik Janata League Sept 16, Ganotantrik Dal Sept 20, Jatiya Party (Ershad) Sept 27, Jatiya Party (Manju) Oct 4,JSD (Inu) Oct 9, JSD (Rab) Oct 22, Jamaat-e-Islami Oct 25, NAP (Mozaffar) Oct 28, Bangladesh Awami League on November 4, Workers Party Nov 11, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Naziur) Nov 15, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on November 22, CPB Nov 25 and Samyabadi Dal Nov 29.