No response yet from big parties
As many as 30 political parties, most of which only exist in names and have very little activities, collected application forms for registration with the Election Commission (EC) as of yesterday. The major political parties, with the exception of Jatiya Party, are yet to respond in this regard.
Only four out of the 16 political parties invited to political party registration talks with the EC, which begins on Saturday, have collected registration forms, according to a list prepared by the EC Secretariat.
The EC started the distribution of forms Thursday.
HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party (JP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) and Sammayabadi Dal are the four parties in the process of registering with the EC.
The registration was made mandatory for contesting the parliamentary polls.
Awami League (AL), BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh are still vehemently opposing political party registration before the parliamentary polls citing constraint of time to meet the conditions for registration.
The 16 political parties invited to the talks with the EC are in a better of positions to get registered since they only have to amend their party constitutions and fulfil a number of conditions laid down in the Representation of People's Order (RPO). Minor parties, who never won any parliamentary seats since 1972, will have to prove that they have a functional central office with a committee and branch offices in at least 10 districts and 50 upazilas or metropolitans to be qualified for registration.
Their constitutions must also conform to conditions laid down in the RPO regarding the registration. Many of these parties contested in previous elections but their performances were poor and almost all their candidates lost the security deposits.
Earlier the EC postponed a move to get political parties registered as major political parties did not respond to the initiative even though the rules were not stringent like it is this time.
In 2001, the EC introduced the registration system in a bid to keep off the small parties from contesting national elections. The move was made for better management of elections and to make political parties accountable to the EC.
Since its introduction over 30 political parties applied for registration, most of which exists only in name. The EC halted the process in 2006 as major parties did not apply for registration. This was not mandatory qualification to take part in parliamentary polls then.
This time the registration has been made mandatory. A number of conditions, like parties cannot have front organisations with students, teachers and professionals, were introduced.
With major political parties unwilling to get registered ahead of the parliamentary polls, the EC during a meeting yesterday reviewed the situation and discussed the upcoming dialogue with political parties.
"We hope a positive result will come out through discussion," Humayun Kabir, secretary to the EC Secretariat, told reporters after the meeting.
He said the EC also discussed training programmes for returning officers and campaigns to build awareness among voters.
PARTIES COLLECTED FORMS
According to the timeframe announced by the EC, political parties willing to get registered with it must apply to the commission by October 15 meeting the conditions.
As of yesterday, National People's Party, Islami Shashontantro Andolan, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Nirdoliyo Jana Andolan, Jamioate Olamaye Islam Bangladesh, Bangladesh Sacheton Nagorik Mancha, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Krishak Sramik Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish (Nuruzzaman), Forward Party, Public Party, Pakmon People's Party, Samajik Rajnoitik Andolan, Chetonar Bangali, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Freedom Party, Progressive Democratic Party, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party, Jatiya League, National Awami Party (Bhasani), Muktijoddha Communism Democratic Party, Bangladesh Torikat Federation, Gonoforum, Jaker Party, Bangladesh LLB, Islamic Front Bangladesh and Janotar Songhati collected forms for registration among others.
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