EC invites BNP for dialogue

The election commission (EC) has invited the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for a discussion on the next parliamentary polls.

Kazi Habibul Awal, chief election commissioner (CEC), issued a letter to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in this regard. He, however, did not mention any specific date for the dialogue.

According to the EC sources, the date will be fixed in consultation with the BNP, if it accepts the invitation.

Election commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan told Prothom Alo that Mirza Fakhrul, if he wants, may come with leaders of his party as well as other like-minded parties to the dialogue.

The EC held dialogues with the political parties in July last year, but the BNP did not join it. The party said there must be a non-partisan government during the next national polls.

The EC said they have nothing to do with the BNP’s demand and have no statement over the party’s political strategies.