14-Party Allies Excluded from EC Dialogue

The preparation process for the 13th national parliamentary election is in its final stage at the Election Commission (EC). After completing all tasks step by step, political dialogue with parties will soon begin. EC sources said the dialogue is scheduled to start on 13 November. However, political parties in the Awami League-led 14-party alliance are not being invited. A senior EC source informed the media that parties with suspended registration, along with several Awami League allies, have been excluded from the dialogue.

According to EC sources, the EC could not complete the law amendment and new political party registration within the planned timeline. These tasks were supposed to be completed by 30 September. As a result, the dialogue with political parties has been delayed. The first day of dialogue will be on 13 November. Each day, six party leaders will be invited per session, with two sessions held in the morning and afternoon. However, it has been decided that the 14-party alliance, including the Jatiya Party, will not be invited.

Regarding the dialogue, EC senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the schedule will be finalized after the gazette of the code of conduct for candidates and political parties is issued. He added that the EC wants all parties to participate and ensure a free, fair, and credible election. The dialogue is considered an effective platform to discuss code of conduct implementation, candidate behavior, campaign rules, election expenses, and the role of media.

EC sources said the Awami League’s registration is currently suspended. An informal decision has been made not to invite the 14-party alliance, including the Jatiya Party, JASAD, Gana Tantri Party, Zaker Party, Tariqat Federation, Samyabadi Party, and National Awami Party.

According to initial decisions, each session will have six party representatives. Two sessions per day will host representatives of 12 parties. The EC will hold its last dialogue sessions with BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

For the 12th parliamentary election, on 1 November 2023, 44 parties were invited to dialogue. All parties were invited, but while some, including the Awami League, participated, the BNP-led 20-party alliance rejected the invitation. Subsequently, the election was held on 7 January 2024, which opposition alliances termed a ‘dummy election’.

To announce the schedule for the 13th election, the EC is taking quick steps. Pending tasks will be completed within November. The gazette for the revised code of conduct is expected soon. Drafts including major amendments have been sent to the Ministry of Law. The draft election management regulations will be finalized this week. Along with these, the 13th parliamentary election management manual will be finalized. Preparations for the election are ongoing, but formal work has not started due to the lack of government instructions on the referendum.

Khaborwala/TSN