Bangladesh News

The Awami League (AL) yesterday sought appointments with the chief adviser and chief election commissioner (CEC) for immediate talks on holding of the parliamentary elections and upazila polls to “clear growing confusion over the polls”.

AL policymakers believe that the talks will help break the stalemate in talks between the caretaker administration and political parties over holding upazila parishad elections before the parliamentary poll and lifting of the state of emergency.

They gave hints that if the government and the Election Commission (EC) stick to their position to hold upazila polls before the parliamentary ones, they would propose holding polls to only 50-60 upazilas instead of 300 out of 482.

If the government agrees, the polls to the remaining upazila parishads will be held immediately after the parliamentary election, they said.

In a letter signed by AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam sent to Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday afternoon, the AL said, “It is imperative for the chief adviser and council of advisers to meet with a delegation of Bangladesh Awami League as soon as possible to discuss our proposals and opinions on the date and schedule of the national parliamentary elections and the upazila polls.”

The AL requested the chief adviser to fix the time and date for the discussion immediately.

In another letter sent to the CEC, the AL said the party wants to know about the EC’s stance over holding the upazila polls and announcement of the parliamentary polls schedule.

It also wants to know about the outcomes of the EC’s electoral reform initiatives including political parties’ registration with the EC and code of conduct for parties and candidates in the parliamentary polls.

An AL delegation led by party Office Secretary advocate Abdul Mannan Khan met the secretaries to the chief adviser’s office and the EC Secretariat yesterday afternoon and handed over the letters.

Mannan later told reporters that officials at the chief adviser’s office and EC Secretariat gave assurance of informing them about the outcomes of their letters as soon as possible.

The AL made the formal move to open another round of talks with the caretaker government and the EC at a time when the EC is preparing to hold polls to 300 upazila parishads in October before holding the parliamentary polls in the third week of December.

The AL and other political parties have been vehemently opposing the move, arguing that upazila polls will create obstacle to holding the parliamentary election in time.

The AL will also seek to persuade the caretaker government into lifting the state of emergency before the parliamentary election and release party chief Sheikh Hasina permanently, AL sources said.

Party policymakers said if the talks are held, they will categorically tell the government that the AL would not take part in any polls if emergency is not lifted. The party is already mobilising international community to put pressure on the caretaker government to lift the state of emergency.

They want to discuss issues like a few provisions of the People’s Representation Order including scrapping of front organisations and foreign chapters of parties, the option for “no” vote, role of the army during the polls, political parties’ registration and holding of party council, national poll schedule and environment for the election, competence of the EC, candidates’ poll expenses, mismanagement of voter’s slip in the August 4 polls, administrative reforms and formation of constitutional council.

The AL and the government held unofficial talks immediately after the release of AL President Sheikh Hasina on June 11 and the first round official dialogue on July 3 where the AL raised these issues and demanded withdrawal of the emergency without further delay.

The government wanted to hold another round of talks with the AL leaders but there has been no development in the government initiatives.

Sources said before sitting for the talks, senior AL leaders would consult with Hasina about the crucial issues and hold a meeting of the party presidium to finalise strategies.

“We want to hold the dialogue with the government and the Election Commission after August 21,” said AL Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta.

“Lifting of emergency, holding of parliamentary polls first and permanent release of Sheikh Hasina will be our main issues for discussion,” he told The Daily Star.

Hasina’s Political Secretary and party Organising Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury said, “At the talks we will point out the inadequacy in the Election Commission’s competence level and ask it to concentrate on the issue from now because it could be an important factor for poll results.”

Meanwhile, hearing about Awami League’s letter to the chief adviser and the CEC, Jatiya Party acting chief Anisul Islam Mahmud said they also want to sit for the second round of talks with the government but the party has not yet taken any decision in this regard.

“We are observing the situation and will accordingly take decision about the time of discussion and agenda for it,” Anisul told The Daily Star, adding that they want to discuss issues including political parties’ registration, upazila elections and transparent holding of the national election.

Workers’ Party of Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), AL’s allies in the 14-party combine, demanded that the government initiate another round of talks with all political parties before taking any final decision regarding the national and upazila elections, lifting of the state of emergency and People’s Representation Order 2008.

JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu said, “The government and the Election Commission should take final decisions over such crucial issues through talks with the political parties.”

He told The Daily Star that the JSD would sit today to decide whether to take any initiative for another round of dialogue with the government.