The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The much-talked-about dialogue between the Election Commission (EC) and the BNP-led four-party alliance on electoral laws will be held today (Saturday).

According to the EC schedule, the Commission would hold talks with Jamaat-e-Islami at 10:30am while at 11:30am with the BNP and at 2:00pm with the Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ).

This is for the first time, the BNP of immediate-past prime minister begum Khaleda Zia is going to sit with the EC to talk election issues.

During the first dialogue, pro-Khaleda BNP faction was not invited while it rejected the invitation for the second round of dialogue as the EC did not address Khondoker Delwar Hossain as party Secretary General.

Finally, the BNP decided to take part in the third round of dialogues after the release of party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on September 11, on bail.

Though the Jamaat and the IOJ had attended the first and second round of dialogues with the Commission. They boycotted the third round of talks by taking the similar stand of the BNP. On Tuesday, the four-party alliance at a meeting chaired by Begum Zia decided to join the dialogue.

The EC on Thursday formally invited BNP and its political allies-Jamaat-e-Islami and IJO to take part in the dialogue on election preparations.

The EC, however, did not invite the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), another partner pf the four-party alliance.

BJP Chairman Barrister Andalib Rahman yesterday at a press conference protested and condemned the EC's decision not to invite his party for the talks.

He said people's confidence on the EC has been questioned with the decision what he termed a symptom of idiotic behaviour of the Commission.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda is due to announce the dates for all elections, including the stalled parliamentary polls, after completion of the dialogue process ending today.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain earlier told reporters that during the dialogue they would ask the EC not to hold any election before the national one. He also hinted that preparation of the electoral roll and the Representation of the People Order will also come up in the dialogue.

Asked about the agenda of the talks, EC Secretary Humayun Kabir on Thursday told reporters that the dialogue was an open discussion with the political parties.

"Any election-related issue can be discussed during the dialogue," he hoped.