The Election Commission (EC) is all set to hold dialogue with the registered political parties from 17 July.

All 39 registered parties will be invited to the dialogue scheduled to continue until 31 July, said EC secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath at his office on Wednesday afternoon.

While talking to reporters, the EC secretary also said that there is no fixed agenda for the dialogue. The commission traditionally holds dialogue with the political parties before the parliamentary polls and it is continuation of the tradition.

The previous election commissions finished their responsibilities by merely publishing the dialogue recommendations in the form of a book and took no initiative to execute those.

Asked whether this commission will also stage the old show, Ashok Kumar Debnath said they will see the issue in time.

Is there any special initiative to bring the BNP to the dialogue? He, replying to this question, said all parties are equal to the commission and all will be invited through letter.

As per its schedule, the EC will hold dialogue with National Democratic Movement (NDM) on 17 July. It will separately sit with maximum four parties in a day.

Two hours have been fixed for discussions with each of Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party while the other parties will get one hour. The EC is scheduled to sit with BNP on 20 July and with Awami League on 31 July, the very last day of dialogue.https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/ec-to-hold-dialogue-with-political-parties-from-17-july