In response to the invitation of the Election Commission (EC), 26 out of 44 registered political parties took part in dialogues with the commission on Saturday about preparations for the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election.
Although most of the parties joined the discussions, some 18 parties did not join the dialogue due to different reasons.
Most of the political parties that took part in the dialogue opined in favour of holding the next JS polls on time as per the Constitution, sources said.
Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said if those parties, which could not join the dialogues for different reasons, wish, the commission would arrange dialogues with them.
According to sources, chaired by the CEC, the dialogues took place in two parts at the EC headquarters in the capital’s Agargaon.
In the first phase, the EC invited a total of 22 parties to join the dialogue held in the morning. Of them, 13 parties joined the dialogue while nine other parties skipped the programme.
Like in the first session, the EC had invited 22 more registered political parties. Of them, 11 parties joined the programme and nine others, including BNP did not join it.
Speaking about the absent parties, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal said, "We gave little time for the dialogue. Some parties might have skipped due to the time constraints. If they wish, I will talk to the commission and we will try to sit and listen to them."
He said with the elections two months away, the EC had to move fast.
"We want to communicate with everyone. We want to inform everyone about the preparations we have made regarding the elections because political parties are the main stakeholders in democratic governance and elections."
The electoral environment was discussed today, with parties setting out some conditions that they would like to see for the polls.
After the meeting, Trinamool BNP Secretary General Taimur Alam Khandkar addressed the press, emphasising the commission's responsibility to bolster public confidence in the electoral process.
"We are carefully assessing the situation to determine the commission's effectiveness before deciding on our participation in the upcoming election," he said.
Awami League Presidium Member Muhammad Farooq Khan told the media he was optimistic that the elections will be fair.
"We are witnessing the realisation of commitments made by the Election Commission and implementation of measures by our government to ensure equitable elections. The reintroduction of a seal and signature system on the back of each ballot paper is a positive step in this direction," he said.
"Based on the information provided to us, I believe the election will be conducted fairly, in accordance with the Constitution," he added.
Addressing concerns about potential electoral disruptions in certain areas, Farooq Khan said the Awami League has had a history of conducting orderly elections, asserting that voters would turn up. He suggested that parties lacking public support might voice such apprehensions.
When asked about the BNP's absence from the electoral process, Farooq Khan said, "It is not a constitutional or legal requirement to hold elections with their participation. We have seen many political parties worldwide opting out of elections, especially those without substantial public backing and confidence."
Responding to queries regarding BNP's political activities and programmes, Farooq Khan characterised their actions as rife with violence and terrorism, rather than typical political programmes.
"If any political party, individual, or institution acts against the law, our law enforcement forces have taken action against them, are taking action, and will continue to take action against them."
About the election environment, Farooq Khan claimed that the atmosphere is already quite positive and is expected to improve further.
"The Election Commission has committed to launching a substantial campaign to encourage voter participation, which I believe will boost turnout in the upcoming elections," he further added.
The EC has scheduled two dialogue sessions daily, with the first session starting at 10:30am and concluding at 1pm. The second session is set to run from 3pm to 4:30pm.
It invited the presidents and general secretaries of the parties or two representatives designated by them for this exchange.
However, the BNP and its allies, including the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Biplobi Workers Party, Bangladesh Kallyan Party, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), collectively chose not to participate in the dialogue.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), operating independently without any alliance, also decided to boycott the EC's dialogue.
Additionally, Islamic Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, among the Islamic parties, are refraining from participation.
Representing the Awami League in the dialogue are Presidium Member Lt. Col. (Retd) Farooq Khan and Information and Research Secretary Salim Mahmud, as confirmed by the party's Office Secretary Biplab Barua.
According to the Constitution, JS elections are mandated to be held within 90 days prior to the conclusion of the five-year parliamentary term. With the current parliament's term ending on 29 January, the 90-day countdown began on 1 November.
The EC expressed its intention to unveil the national election schedule in mid-November, with plans to hold the election in January.
In July 2022, the EC conducted a dialogue with political parties to establish an action plan for the 12th national elections. Notably, some political parties, including the BNP, abstained from participating in the talks.
According to sources, all preparations for holding the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls are going at a brisk pace.
The EC of Bangladesh is ready to hold the upcoming JS election on time as per the Constitution, said sources in the EC.
The sources further said the EC may finalise the election schedule through a meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin at the Bangabhaban on November 5.
According to sources, the polls schedule might be announced by the first half of the current month and the election is likely to be held in the first week of January in 2024.
EC officials said that at the meeting with the President the commissioners will also finalise the dates of appointing returning officers.
It should be mentioned, chiefs of all the law-enforcement and intelligence agencies earlier on November 1 informed the EC that there is no major hurdle to holding the next JS polls.
Earlier, in July last year, the EC held dialogues with political parties aiming to prepare its working plan for the 12th national polls. But the BNP and eight opposition parties skipped the talks.
Apart from the political parties, the EC held dialogues with the representatives from the civil society, journalists, NGOs and different other stakeholders.