The ruling Awami League on Sunday asked the Election Commission to initiate steps to bring the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies to its dialogue before taking a decision on crucial electoral reforms.
The AL at a dialogue with the commission neither made any specific proposals nor gave it the nod to the commission's electoral reform plan that included introduction of electronic voting machines and a law for appointment of election commissioners.
'We hope the commission will be able to bring all political parties to its dialogue if it gives a little more effort,' AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said at the dialogue.
But the high-powered AL delegation attending the talks did not give its views on the EC's reform proposals telling the commission that the party would make its suggestions later.
The ruling party, however, hoped the Election Commission would again present the nation with a free and fair election in 2014 like that of the 2008 general election which the AL swept with two-thirds majority.
As part of the commission's move to hold a series of dialogues with registered political parties to take their opinions on some proposed electoral reforms, including introduction of electronic voting machine, enactment of laws outlining the criteria for appointment of election commissioners and to make the electoral laws time befitting.
A 19-strong delegation headed by AL presidium member and deputy leader of the house Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury held talks with the commission for over one and a half hours.
AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Yusuf Hossain Humayun and Obaidul Quader, advisory council members, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, AMA Muhith, Rahmat Ali, Alauddin and joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif were in the delegation.
Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda and his two deputies represented the commission.
The commission explained how and why it was going to bring about the electoral reforms, including introduction of EVM, a proposal the main opposition has all along opposed.
Though the AL team did not put forth any specific proposals on the EC's reform plan, it was apparently positive towards the initiatives.
During the discussion, Suranjit, Sheikh Selim, Amu and Tofail tried to give their views on some issues, but Syed Ashraf often interrupted them saying the party would give its decision later.
When the AL team wanted to know from the commission whether there were similar laws and systems in other countries which the EC was planning to introduce, the commission replied in the positive.
When AMA Muhith, also the finance minister, welcomed the plan to introduce EVM in polls, Syed Ashraf asked the commission to launch a campaign to introduce the new technology to the voters.
'The people do not want to adopt a new technology overnight,' he said.
When Obaidul Quader asked what steps the commission was taking to bring the BNP to the dialogue, the commission claimed it had employed all means possible to persuade the main opposition to attend the dialogue.
Syed Ashraf hoped the commission would be able to bring the BNP to the talks.
Wrapping up the dialogue, Syed Ashraf said, 'We came here to listen to your [commission] explanations about your proposals. Each of the proposals is logical. We will meet you again with our views.'
The CEC told the AL team that as empowered by the constitution, the commission could do whatever it thought was necessary to conduct a free, fair and neutral election.
'We are holding the dialogue with the political parties as a matter of courtesy. No one can prevent us from doing what we think is necessary for conducting free and fair polls,' he said.
The CEC reiterated that the commission would use EVMs in the local government polls in Narayanganj and Comilla.
The talks with the governing AL wrapped up the commission's series of dialogue with the registered political parties that began on June 7.
Seven political parties, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Jatiya Party skipped the EC's dialogue.
Source : New Age
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