The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

The component parties of the 4-party alliance await the promised follow up meeting with the Government before deciding to start the process of their registration with the Election Commission.

During the last round of dialogue, the four-party partners were assured another round of talks to resolve the differences of the opinion that surfaced during the October 15 dialogue.

Neither BNP nor Jamaat or any other party of the alliance collected the registration form from the EC leaving three days in hand for registration.

Comment from Government side on follow up meeting with the BNP was not available

However Election Commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain on Thursday told reporters that the BNP must apply for registration by October 20 if it wants to be registered with the EC.

When contacted BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan told The New Nation that they are yet to get response from government side.

"We had put forward our statements before the government. But we are yet to get any response," he said.

The BNP leader, however, hoped that the follow up meeting might be held within the timeframe for registration of political parties ending October 20.

A senior Jamaat leader said they have preparation for registration but waiting for four-party decision.

"We have no problem as we have fulfilled all necessary requirements for registration," he said.

He said the Jamaat would collect registration form after four-party decision in this regard.

Secretary General of Islami Oikya Jote Maulana Abdul Latif Nezami told The New Nation that they are preparing their constitution.

"We are getting ready for registration. We will collect form after the four-party decision in this regard," he said adding, "We will abide by the four-party decision in this regard."

Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman Barrister Andalib Rahman said they are also ready for registration, as all the necessary documents have already been updated.

"We are yet to collect registration form and waiting for decision of the four-party alliance," he said.

During the post-dialogue joint briefing both the government and BNP sides told reporters that they would meet again before October 20, the deadline for registration, as they could not reach to an agreement, particularly on withdrawal of the state of emergency and deferment of upazila elections.

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain had told a questioner that they would take decision on registration after seeing the outcome of the follow up meeting with the government.