The major political parties of the country, including Awami League (AL), Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jatiya Party (JP), yesterday said it will not be possible for them to hold party councils and change the party constitutions in time to get registered with the Election Commission (EC).
However, Workers' Party of Bangladesh (WP) and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) say they can register their parties within the stipulated time.
According to an EC announcement, political parties have to apply for registration by October 15 in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Representation of the People's Order (2008) (RPO).
This would require most of the political parties to make changes in their constitutions.
Both AL and JP leaders have said that they want to discuss the matter with the government as well as the EC before the registration. BNP suggested that EC register political parties within six months to one year after the national election.
Talking to The Daily Star, AL Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said it would not be possible for AL to register the party with the EC within the stipulated time as they cannot change their constitution within this period.
"It won't be possible to fulfil the conditions of the RPO without holding a party council. It is not possible to hold a party council within this period amidst a state of emergency," he said.
"As we have already written to the EC for another round of talks, we will take a final decision on the matter through the talks," he added.
BNP vice president MK Anwar said that it is not possible for BNP either to hold a party council to amend their constitution to qualify for registration within this timeframe.
“The presence of our party chairperson is also a must to change the constitution of BNP," he told The Daily Star.
He said that the conditions stipulated in the Representation of the Peoples Order's (2008) were impractical and termed it a plot to control political parties and politics in the country.
Jatiya Party (JP) Acting Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud said, “It is not possible to hold a council during Ramadan and so we lose a valuable 30 days here.”
"It won't be right to take any decisions centrally without consultation with the grassroots level leaders," the JP acting chief told The Daily Star.
JP (Manju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam urged the EC not to take initiatives to register political parties ignoring the parties' opinions.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Haque Inu also said that it is not possible for his party to incorporate the clauses of RPO into the party constitution within the given timeframe.
Inu suggested that the EC relax conditions for registration.
Meanwhile Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda has said, "If anyone faces any problems in holding party council amidst the state of emergency or face problems in understanding the provisions of RPO related to registration, then they should come to us. We are ready to help them."
He said the EC could even urge the government to relax the state of emergency in order to facilitate the political parties in holding councils.
The CEC also said that they replied to AL's letter seeking agendas to be discussed with it.
Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon said they would apply to the EC for registration after reviewing the provisions in the RPO regarding registration. He told The Daily Star that it would not be difficult for them to change their party constitution in order to meet the criteria regarding registration.
CPB General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim yesterday said, "We are ready to apply to the Election Commission. We can even apply by tomorrow."