The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the major political parties in the country, yesterday did not join the third round of dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) alleging that a number of electoral laws have been enacted by keeping them out.

The other political parties-Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu), which participated in the dialogue separately demanded general elections first and not to waste time on upazila polls.

They also demanded not to register the parties, which were against the country's liberation war.

The BNP sent a letter to the EC explaining the reasons not to join the dialogue scheduled for yesterday.

The letter, signed by BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain, argued that such talks would not be fruitful keeping newly framed "unconstitutional laws and rules" in force.

It said the BNP was ready to join any discussion to achieve the objective of restoration of democracy through a free and fair election with the participation of all political parties.

A 6-member delegation led by BNP Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed carried the letter to the Commission and handed it over at about 10:00am. The BNP was scheduled to sit for dialogue with the Commission at 2:00pm yesterday but it has decided at the last minute not to join the talks.

The BNP letter said the EC's "unwarranted, immoral and partisan" attitude over the leadership of BNP has disappointed the people and such attitude has also put the neutrality of the EC into question.

It mentioned that the Commission had several rounds of talks with many parties but they did not discuss with BNP, particularly in framing the Voters List Ordinance 2007, the Voters List Rules 2008, the Representation of People's Order Ordinance 2008 and the Representation of People's Rules 2008.

The letter said since BNP could not give its opinion about these laws and regulations, these laws and regulations did not reflect the opinion of the majority of the people.

Secretary General of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB), Maj (Retd) Abdul Mannan, who led the party delegation told reporters that they do want upazila and there was no scope for delaying the national elections centring the upazila polls.

Favouring the party registration to bring back discipline in the election process, he said his party would be able to apply for registration within the timeframe given by the Commission.

The BDB leader called upon the authorities concerned to ensure a fair and credible general polls free from the tyranny of black money and terrorists.

Replying to a question, he said the state of emergency should not be a bar to holding the elections; rather emergency could be in force to ensure fair election.

The BDB delegation included Mahi B Chowdhury, Abdur Rouf Mannan, Shah Ahmed Badal, Shariful Islam, Abdul Aziz Akand and Mainuddin Chowdhury.

CPB General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, who led the party delegation, told reporters that there was no scope for delaying the national polls.

He said the war criminals and religion-based political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami should be declared illegal and denied registration with the Commission.

Selim said the election expenditure should be limited to Tk 3-5 lakh. The candidates can contest the election within this amount if they abide by the election code of conduct.

The CPB delegation included Md Shah Alam, Dr Dibalok Singh, Mahbub Alam, Sajjad Zahir Chandon and Adv Inun Nahar Lipi.

JSD president Hasanul Haque Inu who led the party's five-member delegation, said a specific date for holding the general election should be declared as early as possible.

He said his party is morally ready to be registered but urged the commission to amend or put off some sections and sub-sections of the registration rules.

Inu said the EC not to register the parties, which were against the country's liberation war.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda indicated that the Commission would not finish the consultation process without holding meeting with the BNP.

"We'll wait for the BNP. The dialogue isn't going to draw to a close without their participation," he said.

Talking to reporters, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain admitted that the Commission had received the regret letter of the BNP.

He said the Commission would reply soon in a bid to woo them to the talks.