The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The dialogue of the Election Commission (EC) with major political parties begins today to discuss the party registration process.

A total of 16 political parties, including the BNP and the Awami League, are expected to attend the dialogue to be held at the Commission Secretariat.

The EC for the third time is going to hold dialogue with political parties after taking office during the present caretaker government aiming at discussing the objections made by the political parties regarding their registration that has been made mandatory to contest the polls.

On the opening day today, four political parties would sit for the dialogue with the EC. They are Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal (ML), Ganotantri Party and Jatiya Party.

According to the schedule, the dialogue will be held with Workers Party of Bangladesh at 10:30am while Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal (ML) at 11:30am, Ganotantri Party at 12:30pm and Jatiya Party at 2:00pm.

The dialogue with the BNP will be held tomorrow, while Jatiya Party (JP) and Jamaat-e-Islami on September 8 and Awami League on September 9.

Amid latest developments in the political arena, the EC has invited the BNP faction loyal to Khaleda Zia and led by its Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain to attend the fresh round of dialogue on behalf of the BNP.

The faction was not invited during the two previous round of dialogues that questioned the sincerity of the EC.

As part of the programme, the dialogue with Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) will be held at 10:30am tomorrow while with Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh at 11:30am, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) at 12:30pm and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at 2:00pm.

On September 8, the Commission will hold dialogue with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) at 10:30am while Islami Oikya Jote at 11:30am, Jatiya Party (JP) at 12:30pm and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh at 2:00pm.

Dialogue with Krishak Sramik Janata League will be held at 10:30am on September 9 while with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob) at 11:30am, National Awami Party (Mozaffar) at 12:30pm and Bangladesh Awami League at 2:00pm.

The Commission sources said the dialogue is being held with political parties to settle some objections being raised over the party-registration process.