Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Party Khaleda Zia-led 10-member delegation team are on its way to Bangabhaban to hold a talk with President Abdul Hamid over the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC).

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia left her Gulshan residence for the president house at about 3:00pm on Sunday.

BNP Chief’s office media wing official Shamsuddin Didar told NTV Online BNP delegation team is on its way to Bangabhaban from the party office in Nayapaltan.

The meeting will be held at about 4:30pm.

The BNP delegation includes Khaleda Zia, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, Tariqul Islam, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.

Senior BNP leaders said they have made a draft of their proposals on the basis of their chairperson’s 13-point list to discuss with the President during the dialogue.

The leaders said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam will talk first at the meeting with President in favour of the party.  Later, he will present a written speech of their chairperson to Abdul Hamid.

In the written speech, Khaleda Zia is likely to mention the reasons for boycotting the January-5 election in 2014 and about the country’s current ‘political crisis’ and its possible solutions.

She is also likely to urge the President to take a step for political negotiation as the guardian of the country to ensure a fair and acceptable national election.

Khaleda Zia will also give necessary explanation about her proposal for forming a neutral and stronger EC.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they will mainly focus on forming a neutral search committee and EC.

He also said their chairperson will decide whether she will give any name for the search committee.

‘The country’s future politics will depend on the dialogue and search committee to be formed after it.  The search committee can be formed with neutral persons if only the government wants.’

The BNP chairperson is also likely to call upon the President to hold another dialogue over forming an election-time government to help the Election Commission hold a fair and acceptable national election.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said they will hold the talks to give the President their proposals for considering in forming the search committee and the EC.

‘We’re going to the President with an open mind and big hope that he’ ll make his sincere efforts to make the dialogue a success and form a neutral and acceptable EC. We hope he won’t disappoint us. We also urge the government to help the President constitute a trustworthy EC.’

He, however, said they government’s plan about the next polls will be clear after the formation of the search committee. ‘The President’s initiative for talks is a positive step. But, if the search committee is formed as per the government’s desire, the dialogue will turn a futile exercise.’

Another party standing committee member, Mahbubur Rahman, echoed Mosharraf and hoped that Abdul Hamid will play a strong role in forming an acceptable EC based on suggestions from political parties after the talks.

He also said they may also talk about the election-time government during the talks as a fair election will not be possible under a partisan administration.