Taking part in talks with President Abdul Hamid, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation on Monday advocated for a legal framework for the formation of the Election Commission (EC).

In the absence of a legal framework, the party proposed constituting a search committee taking suggestions from political parties as well as civil society members.

President Abdul Hamid sat with a seven-member delegation of the Tarikat Federation at 4pm at Bangabhaban as he continued discussions with political parties on the formation of the next Election Commission, his Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.

Welcoming the delegation, the President said the main objective of the talks was to form an acceptable Election Commission, Joynal said.

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During the discussion, he said, the delegation of the Tariqat Federation underscored the need for enacting a law to form an independent and impartial EC.

Joynal said the Tarikat delegation also said a legal framework for EC formation is now a demand of all the political parties and a law should be formulated as soon as possible.

He also said the Tarikat delegation urged the government to sit with civil society members alongside the political parties to have their views about the formation of a search committee for the EC reconstitution. 

Tarikat Federation Chairman Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary led his party delegation in the talks.

According to the Bangabhaban press wing, the Workers Party of Bangladesh is scheduled to meet the President at 4pm on Tuesday.

The other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Islami Oikya Jote on December 29, Gano Forum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh on January 3.

The President’s talks with the registered political parties over the formation of the new EC began on Monday with the first parley with the main opposition in parliament, Jatiya Party.

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

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The tenure of the current EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, is scheduled to expire on February 14 next year.

As per the constitution, a new Commission must be formed before the expiry of the present EC.