Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday thanked President Abdul Hamid as he is going to hold dialogue with political parties on formation of the new Election Commission (EC).

“His press secretary said the President will start dialogue with political parties on his return home from abroad. We thank him as he honoured people’s demand. We’re very happy over the move,” he said.

The BNP leader came up with remarks while speaking at a discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) arranged by the student leaders of the 90s marking ‘democracy free day’, commemorating the fall of military ruler HM Ershad on December 6, 1990, reports news agency UNB.

President's press secretary Joynal Abedin on Tuesday morning told UNB that Abdul Hamid will hold dialogue with all registered political parties to reconstitute the Election Commission (EC). “The dialogue will begin after December 16.”

However, a source at Bangabhaban said the dialogue will begin on December 18 with BNP. 

The President left here for Singapore around 10:30 am for his medical checkup there. He is scheduled return home on December 11.

Fakhrul said though late president Zillur Rahman had discussed with political parties before the current EC formation, he constituted a search committee as per the prescription by the ruling party.

He alleged that though Awami League talks about democracy, it does not believe in it. “Democracy had been restored in the 1990, but Awami League obliterated it again.”

The BNP leader called upon the Prime Minister not to destroy democracy further. “We don’t demand many things. We only want you to hold a neutral election so that all parties can participate in it and voters can cast their votes as per their choice,” he added.