The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh is set to resume its series of pre election consultations on Monday, engaging another group of 12 registered political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat e Islami, as part of preparations for the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
According to election officials, Monday’s meetings will be held at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, with Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin presiding.
Md Ashadul Haque, Assistant Director for Public Relations at the EC Secretariat, told BSS that the first session, scheduled from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, will bring together the Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Kalyan Party and the Bangladesh Muslim League BML.
A second round of talks will follow from 2 PM to 4 PM, featuring Bangladesh Jamaat e Islami, the Amar Bangladesh Party, Bangladesh Development Party, Bangladesh Islami Front, Khelafat Majlis and the National Democratic Party Jagpa.
The meetings are part of a wider consultation process that includes additional discussions on Sunday with two separate clusters of parties. From 10 am to 12 pm, the EC will sit with Gonoforum, Gonofront, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, the Bangladesh Supreme Party and the Bangladesh National Party. Later, from 2 pm to 4 pm, it will meet Bangladesh Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal Bangladesh Jasad, Bangladesh National Awami Party Bangladesh NAP, Trinomul BNP, Krishak Shromik Janata League, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis and Islami Andolon Bangladesh.
The EC began its dialogue series last Thursday, holding two sessions with 12 political parties on the opening day.
Officials noted that the discussions are intended to address a broad range of electoral issues, including pre schedule preparations by political parties, compliance with the electoral code of conduct once the schedule is issued, requirements for signing formal pledges with returning officers, management of polling agents, combating misinformation and disinformation, preventing misuse of artificial intelligence, promoting communal harmony, ensuring non discrimination, and banning the use of religious institutions for political campaigning.
