The Election Commission is planning to invite all 56 registered political parties, including Jatiya Party and three new parties, in nine groups to participate in the dialogue starting on November 13 ahead of the announcement of schedule for the 13th parliamentary election to be held in early February 2026.
The nine sessions of the electoral dialogue will be held from November 13 to 20, which are considered the Commission’s last major task before the election schedule to be announced in early December.
According to the proposed dialogue schedule, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will be invited on November 20, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and youths-led newly registered party National Citizen Party (NCP) on November 19 and Jatiya Party on November 17.
The series of talks will take place on November 13, 16, 17, 19, and 20. Two sessions will be held each day until November 19 — the first from 10:00am to 12:00pm, and the second from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
Jamaat and NCP will be invited to the afternoon dialogue on November 19, while BNP and Gono Odhikar Parishad-GOP for the morning session on November 20.
Currently, there are 53 registered political parties, excluding the Awami League, whose registration remains suspended.
Besides, November 04 last initially recognised three new parties, including NCP, as registered parties and published notifications seeking objections by November 12, if any, against them.
The Commission will finally award them registration certificates soon. So, the total number of registered political parties would stand at 56.
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But all three newly registered parties –NCP, Bangladesh Aam Janagan Party and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist) will be invited on November 19.
According to the proposed schedule, Liberal Democratic Party-LDP, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Bangladesh Muslim League, National Peoples Party, Gonoforum and Gano Front will be invited to Thursday morning (November 13), while Communist Party of Bangladesh-CPB, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal-Basod, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Bangladesh National Awami League Party-Bangladesh Nap on Thursday afternoon.
On November 16, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Jamiyate Ulamaye Islam Bangladesh, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Islami Oikyajote, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish and Islami Andolan Bangladesh will be invited to the morning session, while Bangladesh Nationalist Front-BNF, Bangladesh Congress, Trinomool BNP, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement-BNM, Bangladesh Supreme Party-BSP, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (led by ANM Sirajul Islam, Jackfruit symbol), Bangladesh Muslim League-BML to the afternoon discussion.
On November 17, Jatiya Party-JP (led by Anwar Hossain Manju, bicycle), Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal-ML, Gonotontri Party, Bangladesh National Awami League, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and Bangladesh Kalyan Party will be invited to the morning talks, while Jatiyo Party (Plough), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jaker Party, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote to the afternoon session.
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On November 19, Nationalist Democratic Movement-NDM, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party-BMJP, Insaniat Biplab Bangladesh, Bangladesh Republican Party-BRP, Bangladesh Aam Janagan Party (new party) and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist) (new party) will be invited to attend the morning session.
Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, Bangladesh Development Party, Bangladesh Islamic Front and Khelafat Majlish will be invited to join the afternoon dialogue on November 19.
BNP, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP (led by Andaleeve Rahman Partho), GOP, Nagorik Oikya, Ganosamhati Andolon, Bangladesh Labour Party and Jatiya Ganotantrik Party-Jagpa will be invited for the morning dialogue on November 20.
As part of preparations for the dialogues with political parties, the Commission has already made changes to the electoral code of conduct in line with an ordinance promulgated on November 3, bringing further amendment to the Representation of the People Order, 1972.
The Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections Rules 2025 will soon be published in the official gazette, with the code expected to be one of the key discussion issues during the dialogues.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Thursday said this time the political parties would be invited in groups due to time constraints before the announcement of election schedule.
The Election Commission traditionally holds talks with registered political parties before each national election. Each party was usually invited to join the dialogue separately.
In late September 2025, the Commission opened a series of electoral dialogues with different stakeholders amid talks with civil society representatives on September 28.
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Later, the EC held separate dialogues with the representatives of teachers, senior journalists from different media outlets, election experts and election observers.
In a bid to conduct the next election in free, participatory and fair manners, the EC sat in a views-exchange with different law enforcement agencies and intelligences on October 20 and with top government officials, including secretaries of key ministries, directors general of important agencies on October 30 last.
The Commission either completed or almost finished all important tasks, including amendment to the electoral laws, delimitation of constituencies, updating the voter lists, finalisation of polling stations, registration of new political parties and registration of election observers.