Rejected by some parties, president’s dialogue trudges on
President Abdul Hamid on Monday urged all political parties to inspire people for a fair and participatory poll, reports UNB.
"It is possible to arrange fair and participatory polls, if political parties can inspire people in the field instead of simply sitting at home. It's not enough just to express good intentions," press secretary Joynal Abedin quoted the president as saying during the talks this evening.
Hamid held talks with Khilafat Majlis (KM) at 6:00pm as a part of forming an acceptable election commission (EC).
Seeking cooperation of all the political parties in this regard, the president said the EC formation is a constitutional obligation and the main objective of the dialogue is only to constitute an acceptable EC.
Hamid hoped that it would be possible to form an efficient, strong and the acceptable election commission on the basis of discussions with the political parties.
Hamid also called upon political parties to come forward to guide politics in the right direction.
Khilafat Majlis secretary general Ahmed Abdul Quader led an eight-member delegation in the discussion.
The political party placed a five-point proposal to the president, including enacting a timely law for the formation of the election commission, neutralising and strengthening the EC and maintaining the electoral environment.
The secretary general of Khelafat Majlis Ahmad Abdul Kader led his delegation where senior nayeb-e -ameer Mowlana Zobaer Ahmed Chowdhury, nayeb-e -ameer Mowlana Shakhawat Hossain and Ahmed Ali Kashemi, and joint secretary generals Jahangir Hossain, Muhammad Muntasir Ali, Mustafizur Rahman Faisol and professor Abdul Jalil also joined in the discussion.
Earlier, a seven-member delegation of BTF led by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari sat in dialogue with the President at 4:00pm.
President Hamid opened the talks with Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, on 20 December while he held talks with six political parties to date.
Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) joined the dialogue at 4:00pm yesterday.
On the other hand, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), invited to Bangabhaban on Sunday last, declined the invite, the press secretary said.
According to Bangabhaban press wing Bangladesh Workers' Party is scheduled to meet the President at 4:00pm on Tuesday.
The other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), Islami Oikya Jote, Gano Forum, Bikalpo Dhara, Ganotantri Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh.
The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in parliament.
The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.