EC to hold dialogue with registered political parties from Thursday

The Election Commission (EC) is set to begin a dialogue with registered political parties ahead of the parliamentary polls.

EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the discussions will begin on Thursday, though the list of parties to be invited at the initial stage has not yet been finalised.

Speaking at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Tuesday, he said: “We are planning the process. We need to decide who will attend and in what order.

“We want to complete discussions with the parties within this month to achieve specific targets,” he added.

The national election is expected to be held in the first half of February, with the schedule to be announced in early December.

The EC has already completed its preparatory work and held discussions with election experts, academics, women leaders, and media representatives in previous rounds of consultations.

Now, in its final stage of preparation, the election authority is moving to engage with political parties.

The discussions will focus on issues such as the Representation of the People Order (RPO), electoral code of conduct, and overall measures to ensure a fair election, the secretary noted.

At present, Bangladesh has 53 registered political parties. The registration of the Awami League has been suspended, while three parties have had their registration cancelled.

Three new parties are expected to receive final registration on Nov 12.

Although over 50 registered parties are expected to be invited to the dialogue, the EC will announce in phases when and which parties will be called, Akhtar said.

Several parties have been vocal about cancelling the registration of the Jatiya Party and its 14-Party Alliance partners, describing them as “agents” of the Awami League.

Meanwhile, disputes over the Jatiya Party’s electoral symbol and internal divisions have led to multiple petitions being filed with the EC.

The National Consensus Commission has not called the party for discussion either.

When asked if the Jatiya Party will be invited to the dialogue, the EC secretary avoided a direct response, saying: “We haven’t yet decided who we will invite. We will discuss the matter and make a decision.

“You will learn about the invitations step by step.”

Asked about the two factions claiming the Jatiya Party’s plough symbol, he said: “No decision has been made yet. You will be informed once it is.”