Describing the ongoing dialogue on the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) as ‘pointless’, BNP standing committee has decided not to take part in the talks with President Abdul Hamid.
A meeting of the party standing committee, the highest policymaking body, on Monday took the decision, said a press release signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday.
Amid the various speculations about BNP’s participation in the talks, the party made its stance clear on it even before receiving the invitation from Bangabhaban for joining the dialogue.
Earlier, Fakhrul said their standing committee will make a decision on it once they get an invitation from the President.
He said their meeting elaborately discussed the issue of the President’s dialogue with the registered political parties on the formation of the new EC.

 “In the current political context of Bangladesh, BNP thinks the dialogue on the reconstitution of the Election Commission is just a waste of time without a constitutional guarantee of a polls-time neutral government and impartial administration,” the BNP policymakers observed.
Narrating the experiences of previous such talks, they said the ongoing dialogue of the political parties with the President will not bring any positive results. “BNP won’t participate in any meaningless dialogue.” 
Prior to the formation of the last two ECs, the BNP standing committee said the registered political parties took part in talks at the invitation of the President and gave their opinions. “BNP had also submitted a clear proposal to the President in writing on the process of formation of the Election Commission. “But all the initiatives have failed as the partisan Awami League government was there in power during the election period.”
The BNP policymakers alleged that the electoral system in the country has also been destroyed due to the ‘illegal’ use of state machinery and the extreme failure of the Election Commission and its incompetence.
They said the process of casting votes by voters going to the polling station has been almost stopped since the Election Commission has become a 'party' organisation of the Awami League.
“The two consecutive Election Commissions have failed miserably to institutionalise democracy. In fact, the Awami League government has blocked all avenues for flourishing democracy by incorporating the provision of the election under the partisan government and repealing the provision of the caretaker government during the election period through amending the constitution in 2012,” the BNP policymakers said.
They said people have lost their right to vote as the caretaker government system has been revoked. “In the political context of Bangladesh, the Election Commission will never be able to hold free, fair and impartial elections independently keeping a partisan government in power.”
The BNP leader said their party also believes that no EC can conduct a credible and acceptable election without a polls-time neutral and non-partisan government.
 “The President himself has said he has no power to bring any change. So, the dialogue of the political parties with the President won’t yield any positive results.”
President Abdul Hamid began talks with registered political parties over the formation of the new Election Commotion on December 20.
The tenure of the current EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, is to expire on February 14 next year.
As per the constitution, a new Commission must be formed before the expiry of the present EC.