DHAKA, Dec 21, 2021 (BSS) - Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul-
Alam Hanif today called upon Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to join 
dialogue over the formation of new Election Commission (EC) responding to the 
call of the President.

   "We are requesting BNP to respond to the call of Honorable President and 
place their opinion taking part in dialogue after stopping making falsehood 
and creating confusion," he said. 

   Hanif added: "If you (BNP) give good suggestions, the honorable President 
can definitely consider those."

   The AL leader said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a two-day 
event marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and golden jubilee of the 
Liberation War and the country's independence arranged by cultural 
organisation Banglar Mukh at Jatiya Press Club here.

   He said the country's existing democratic process for formation of 
Election Commission (EC) is the best one and the President is holding 
dialogues with all political parties abiding by the process.

   "Search Committee will be formed as per the opinions and suggestions of 
the political parties which will recommend names for forming the EC. And EC 
will be formed through that process," he said, adding that this is a 
democratic way as well as the best process in forming the EC.

   But BNP is making criticism over the process, he said.

   Awami League Joint General Secretary questioned BNP that when they were in 
state power, why they didn't formulate Election Commission Act then.

   The nation didn't forget the stigmatized chapter created by the BNP in 
forming EC, Hanif said.

   BNP had formed Aziz-like EC and formulated a voter's list by including 
1.20 crore fake voters, he said, adding: "BNP is now making falsehood over 
election and the EC to hide their evil acts."

   Banglar Mukh President Saiful Azam Bashar chaired the function while 
Bangladesh Shishu Academy Chairman Lucky Enam also spoke on the occasion.