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The Workers Party of Bangladesh, in its third round dialogue session with the Election Commission on Saturday, demanded national elections prior to upazila polls, reports bdnews24.com The national elections are scheduled to be held in the third week of December and the EC plans to hold polls to at least 250 upazilas in October.
The third round of dialogue between the EC and political parties began Saturday, in an attempt to smooth the differences brewing over the schedule of upazila and national polls and registration of parties according to new electoral laws.
WPB, with a five-member delegation headed by its president Rashed Khan Menon, was the first party to sit on Saturday with chief election commission ATM Shamsul Huda and commissioners Muhammad Sohul Hussain and M Shakhawat Hussain.
Prior to the dialogue, Menon told reporters: "We will discuss party registration, the amended representation of the people ordinance and steps to create a genial atmosphere for the national elections."
In its talks, alongside national elections first, the WPB asked the EC to halt its redrawing of constituencies.
"We have also recommended the commission eliminate the provision banning front organisations of parties," Menon told reporters after the dialogue.
"And we have asked the commission to take steps so that parties backed by anti-liberation forces and religious views cannot be registered," he said.
Replying to a question, Menon said: "The chief election commissioner has assured us that the commission would take its decisions in consultation with parties."
The EC later sat with a five-member delegation of Samyabadi Dal.
Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua, after the dialogue, told reporters that it had asked the EC to extend the deadline of registration for political parties.
"We have asked the commission to maintain the extension for six months after national elections to fulfill the conditions of the registration," he said.
The commission will also hold talks with, Ganatantri Party and Jatiya Party (Ershad) on Saturday.
Election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain, just before sitting in dialogue, told reporters: "We are set to start the third round dialogue with political parties. We have heard their views in the media, we want to hear them now directly."
The EC has invited 16 political parties to the third dialogue.
On Sunday it will sit with BNP, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal.
On Monday, it will hold talks with Liberal Democratic Party, Islami Oikyo Jote, Jatiya Party (JP), Jamaat-e-Islami.
On Tuesday, the EC is scheduled to sit with Awami League, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob) and National Awami Party (Mozaffar).
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