Dhaka: As the tenure of the current Election Commission (EC) expires in February next, President Abdul Hamid is going to hold talks with BNP on December 18 over the reconstitution of the EC.

"The honorable President will start dialogue on the formation of the new EC from December 18. The first meeting will be held with BNP at 4.30 pm on the day at Bangabhaban," President's press secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB on Monday.

He also said the President will hold meetings with Jatiya Party on December 20 around 3 pm, Liberal Democratic Party and Krishak Sramik Janata League on December 21 around 3 pm and 4:30 pm respectively and Jatiya Samajtantrik Party-Inu on December 22 around 3 pm.

The President will hold meetings with other registered political parties in phases, Joynal said.

The press secretary said the President Office sent letters to the political parties in this regard on Monday afternoon.

BNP on Monday received a letter from Bangabhaban inviting it to hold a dialogue with the president.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi received the letter, signed by President’s office secretary Shampad Barua, around 2:25pm.

The letter, addressed to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has requested the party to send 10 BNP leaders’ names to Bangabhaban for the talks by December 15. 

"As per Article 118 of the constitution, the Honorable President has been empowered to appoint the chief election commissioner and not more than four election commissioners. As the tenure of the present election commission expires soon, the Honorable President has expressed interest to take opinions of the political parties to form the election commission," reads the letter.

Talking to UNB after receiving the letter, Rizvi said, “I’ve received the letter sent through a Bangabhaban messenger. We think it’s the first step of the President towards forming the Election Commission.”

He said their party secretary general in consultation with the party chairperson will finalise the names of 10 party delegation members.

On December 6, BNP submitted its chairperson Khaleda Zia’s 13-point proposal on constituting a stronger Election Commission (EC) to Bangabhaban for President Abdul Hamid’s consideration.

In 2012, then President Zillur Rahman appointed incumbent Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad to lead the five-member EC through a search committee after holding meetings with political parties.

The new EC will conduct the next general election scheduled to be held in 2019.

On November 18, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia placed a 13-point proposal for the formation of the new EC and called for reconstituting the EC in consultation with representatives of all registered political parties or with representatives of all political parties who over different periods had representation in parliament.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a press conference on December 3 said, "She [Khaleda] has made her proposal; now she can tell the president about it, and he'll make the decision...we've nothing to say... according to the rules, the President will consider their proposal."