Dhaka, Nov 19 (V7N) — As part of its ongoing series of consultations ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, the Bangladesh Election Commission on Wednesday invited 12 political parties—among them the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami—to participate in a structured dialogue at the Election Commission Secretariat. The commission also scheduled separate sessions with the newly registered National Citizens’ Party (NCP) and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist).

Uncertainty, however, persists regarding whether the Jatiya Party and five registered allies of the Awami League–led 14-party alliance will ultimately be invited. Following the July mass uprising and the subsequent fall of the Awami League government, the EC suspended the party’s registration and barred its political activities. Several parties involved in the uprising—including Jamaat-e-Islami, the NCP, and the Gono Adhikar Parishad—have long demanded that the activities and registrations of these groups also be canceled. A number of parties recently submitted written appeals urging the commission not to invite them to the dialogue.

Due to these objections, the Election Commission remains divided over extending invitations to the remaining parties. These same parties were also excluded from recent meetings with the Chief Adviser and from discussions under the National Consensus Commission formed to explore political reforms.

On Tuesday, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters that decisions on the remaining invitations would be announced “after some additional review,” urging political actors to wait for a final determination.

At present, the Election Commission has 55 registered political parties, including the two newly recognized groups. With the Awami League’s registration suspended, 48 parties—excluding the Jatiya Party and the five allies of the 14-party alliance—have been invited to the four-day dialogue, scheduled for 13, 16, 17, and 19 November.

The five 14-party allies that have not yet received invitations are the Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD), Samyabadi Dal, Ganatantri Party, and Bangladesh Tariqat Federation. However, the National Awami Party (NAP), another member of the coalition, joined the EC’s dialogue session on Monday.

According to Asadul Haque, assistant director of the EC’s public relations wing, Wednesday’s meetings will take place in two sessions at the commission’s conference hall. Six parties will attend the morning session from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., while another six will join from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The morning session includes Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party (BMJP), Insoniyat Biplob, National Citizens’ Party (NCP), Gana Sanghati Andolon, and the National Democratic Movement (NDM). The afternoon session will include the BNP, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Gono Adhikar Parishad (GOP), Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Republican Party (BRP), and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist).

The Election Commission began this phase of consultations on 13 November. Participating parties have raised concerns over the formation of the election-time government, the commission’s independence, enforcement of the electoral code of conduct, and the influence of illicit campaign financing. Political observers note heightened interest surrounding the participation of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the NCP in this final round of discussions, as their positions could significantly shape the political atmosphere in the coming weeks.

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