BNP leaders think there is an ulterior motive behind the Election Commission's sudden invitation to the party for talks about the next general election.

Senior party leaders said that the invite could be an attempt to mislead the BNP's movement for an election-time government while political experts said that the commission wants to make it seem like it genuinely wants to hold a free and fair election.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal in a demi-official letter invited BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday night to discuss the coming national election.

Soon after receiving the letter, Fakhrul said talks with the EC will be meaningless as the commission does not have the authority to discuss the election-time government that BNP has been demanding.

"The BNP is demonstrating for a caretaker government. The issue of an election-time government is very much political. The Election commission has nothing to do with the election-time government. That's why, the BNP has a reason not to join the talk," Prof Al Masud Hasanuzzaman of government and politics at Jahangirnagar University, told The Daily Star.

Several senior BNP leaders told this correspondent that they are wondering why the commission suddenly sent the letter after the party rejected such invites several times in the past.

The commission is trying to improve its image, especially since there is pressure from the western countries over the national election.

A recently published US State Department report on human rights mentioned for the first time that the last national election in Bangladesh was neither free nor fair.

Thursday's letter to the BNP came at a time when diplomats stationed in Dhaka held meetings with the Awami League and BNP about the election.

Several BNP policymakers said the commission sent the letter to appear sincere and impartial.

"It is a strategy of the ruling party and the Election Commission is implementing it," said Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a standing committee member of the party.

The BNP has no interest in talks with a commission that does not have the right to hold an election, he said. "It is a commission of the government. It acts on behalf of the government and does not serve the people's interest."

Other senior leaders said the ruling AL will be quick to criticise the BNP for turning down the invite and try to take advantage.

"How the [AL's] strategy can be countered will be discussed at the party's standing committee meeting on Monday. It is clear that they want to make the issue linger," a senior leader said.

Thursday's letter said even after the BNP repeatedly rejected the ECs invites for talks, a views-exchange meeting could be held over the 12th parliamentary election. "I invite you to the Election Commission. Dates can be discussed and fixed… Waiting to get a reply," reads the letter.

The letter also said the BNP repeatedly expressed its decision not to participate in elections without a non-partisan government. The EC has no comment on the party's political decisions and strategies.

Political analyst Hasanuzzaman said the wording in the letter is not appealing and may create a barrier to build confidence. "It seems that the commission wants to show that it is cordial."

Prof Shantanu Majumder of political science at Dhaka University, however, said sending such letters was routine work for the EC, and there was nothing special in it.

"The Election Commission has a responsibility to bring all political parties to the election. Through this letter, the commission may have tried to brighten its image," he said.

The BNP and eight opposition political parties skipped the talks organised in July last year regarding the next general election. They said they didn't believe the commission would be able to hold a free, fair, and participatory election. The BNP and several other parties also skipped a previous round of talks organised to discuss the use of EVMs.

Besides, the BNP also did not join President Abdul Hamid's initiative on formation of the Election Commission.