BANGLADESH

BNP has agreed to join the presidential dialogue on a new Election Commission to demand revival of the caretaker government system, its spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"We are joining the president's talks as part of our protests [against the removal of the caretaker government system]," acting secretary-general of the party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

"We will take our issues up with the president, on (the demand that) the elections to be overseen by a caretaker government and reconstitution of the Election Commission..."

Asked about the proposals the other parties recommended in the talks with president Zillur Rahman, Fakhrul said, "We think that holding election under the caretaker government is a prerequisite of fair and impartial election. So, this is the major issue."

"There will be no success for steps like forming search committee to appoint election commissioners if the election is not held under a caretaker government. It won't create confidence among the people," he added.

On Dec 22, on the first day of the dialogue, Hussein Muhammad Ershad-led Jatiya Party proposed a search committee drawn from people from constitutional posts while Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) suggested that a guideline be put in place to appoint new election commissioners.

On the second day, the president heard opinions of the Workers Party and Anwar Hossain Manju-led Jatiya Party (JP). The Workers Party proposed a law in line with the constitution and the JP said the existing provision on appointing election commissioners is fine but they have no objection to any new law.

BNP had been voicing its doubts about the president's dialogue since it began.

On Dec 22, Fakhrul had told the press: "We're not clear why the president is conducting the dialogue.

"What happens is that the prime minister sends a proposal to the president in line with the constitution [on the EC] and the president approves it," the spokesperson had said.

But the BNP-led opposition alliance decided to take part in the dialogue after a meeting with the allies of the four parties Monday evening.

The president will hold talks with Islami Oikya Jote on Jan 1, Bangladesh Jatiya Party on Jan 2, and BNP on Jan 11. The three allies have already received invitations.

Jamaat-e-Islami, another opposition ally, has not received any invitation yet, the party's assistant secretary general Nurul Islam Bulbul said.

ALLIES AND ROAD MARCH

Fakhrul said a decision to expand the four-party alliance has been taken but added which parties are joining the alliance will be announced 'in time'.

About BNP's road march programme, he said it is yet to be decided where rallies that chairperson Khaleda Zia will address, will be staged.

He alleged that the government is not cooperating.

"We applied for the Railway Ground and Polo Ground. But we haven't got permission. Now only the Laldighi Maidan is left," he said.