Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia will lead her party delegation during a dialogue with President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC).

The party sent the names of its 10-member delegation to the Bangabhaban on Thursday noon for the talks on December 18, said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He said party secretary general and senior standing committee members have been included in the delegation.

Contacted, President's press secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB that BNP sent a list of names of its 10-member delegation to hold a meeting with the President. 

He said the names include Khaleda Zia, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.

However, a source at the Bangabhaban said BNP may include 4-5 more names in their delegation list for the talks with Abdul Hamid.

A BNP leader close to Khaleda said they are likely to send a revised delegation list including the names of five more leaders to the Bangabhaban on Friday. 

Earlier on Monday, a letter was sent to BNP's Nayapaltan central office from Bangabhaban inviting it to hold dialogue with President Abdul Hamid on EC formation.

The letter, addressed to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has requested the party to meet the President at 4:30pm at Bangabhaban on December 18 for holding talks.

It also asked the party to send the names of a 10-member BNP delegation to Bangabhaban for the talks.

Party leaders wishing anonymity said the BNP delegation will discuss with the President on the basis of their chairperson's proposal on constituting a stronger and neutral Commission.

They will also propose the names of five to six the country's noted citizens, four retired judges to include them in the search committee.

Besides, they are likely to discuss the formation of an election time neutral government to facilitate the EC holding a fair and impartial election.

On November 18, Khaleda Zia placed a 13-point proposal for forming the new EC and called for re-constituting 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 the national parliament.

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.

The President will also hold talks with Jatiya Party on December 20, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Krishak Sramik Janata League on December 21 and Jatiya Samajtantrik Party-Inu on December 22.

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