Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh and Gono Forum on Sunday took part in a discussion with President Abdul Hamid on the formation of Election Commission.

The tenure of the current EC will end on 14 February this year, according to the constitution.

President's press secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB that Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh and Gono Forum participated in the discussion at 6pm and 7pm respectively.

An eight-member delegation led by Mokabbir Khan, Executive President of Gono Forum, took part in the discussion held at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban.

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Welcoming both parties seperately at Bangabhaban, Abdul Hamid said the aim of the talks was to seek the views of political parties on forming an acceptable election commission.

During the discussion, the delegation of the political parties made several proposals including the formulation of a law to form a neutral and strong Election Commission.

He said the politicians need to do something what could be followed by the new generation to develop themselves.

During the discussion, the delegation of the Bikalpa Dhara made several proposals including the formulation of a law to form a neutral and strong Election Commission.

They hoped that the ongoing dialogue between the President and the political parties will play a positive role in forming an acceptable election commission.

Later , a seven member delegation led by Major (Retd.) Abdul Mannan, Secretary General of the Alternative, also took part in the discussion held at the same venue of Bangabhaban.

They made three-point recommendations for the formation of the Election Commission, including the enactment of a law.

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They also proposed to form a search committee consisting of prominent citizens.

They said that the names of the Chief Election Commissioner and the names of the commissioners should be proposed by the registered political parties from where the search committee will propose the names of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners to the President.

Till date, twelve of 16 political parties including today's talks who were invited in the first phase, have joined the talks.

Secretary to the President Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, Press Secretary to the President Joynal Abedin and Secretary (attached) Wahidul Islam Khan were present on the occasion.

President Hamid opened the talks with the Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, on December 20 while he held talks with eight political parties to date.

According to Bangabhaban press wing, the other parties invited for the dialogue are Ganotantri Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon on January 3 and Bangladesh Sammobadi Dal and Islami Andolon Bangladesh on January 4.

The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament.

The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.