Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP-led 20-party combine and Jatiya Oikyafront have decided in principle to join the upcoming national election but they will request the Election Commission to defer the polls, insiders say.

With much fanfare and enthusiasm, aspiring candidates yesterday started collecting nomination forms from the Awami League's election steering office in Dhanmondi, setting off on their race to be the party's contestants in the 11th parliamentary polls.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has given the nod to her party's plan to join the upcoming parliamentary polls and enforce a series of agitation programmes in the run-up to the election, party insiders said.

The weeklong talks between the ruling alliance and opposition parties ended yesterday, but all the major contentious issues that have created uncertainty ahead of the election remain unsettled.

Yesterday's talks between the Jatiya Oikyafront and the Awami League-led 14-party alliance began with Dr Kamal Hossain putting forward the Oikyafront's proposals on the outline of the polls-time government, reconstitution of the Election Commission and creation of a level playing field for all political parties.

Jatiya Oikyafront plans to hold a road march towards Rajshahi and two rallies in Khulna and Mymensingh next week to mount pressure on the government to meet its seven-point demand, including election under a non-partisan government.

The state of politics in the run up to the upcoming parliamentary polls looks quite different from what prevailed in 2006 and 2013. The first week of the 90-day timeframe from October 31 for holding the polls saw some positive signs like talks between the ruling and opposition parties and deferral of the election schedule by the Election Commission.

Awami League-led 14-party alliance will hold talks with Jatiya Oikyafront for the second time at the prime minister’s official residence Gono Bhaban in Dhaka on November 7.

Even after the not-so-good experience on Thursday, the Jatiya Oikyafront wants to stay open to further talks though many of its leaders believe the government will not invite them to any more dialogue.

Led by Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain, the Jatiya Oikyafront delegation stepped inside the Gono Bhaban around 6:45pm. They exchanged greetings with the 14-party team, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Dr Kamal Hossain found no specific solution in prime minister's speech. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said his party was not satisfied with how the talks went. JSD President ASM Abdur Rab said their movement would continue to realise their seven-point demand. And Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said they would not go beyond the constitution.

If the BNP joins the upcoming national polls, it is likely to set aside around 100 out of the 300 parliamentary seats for its alliance partners, party insiders say.

Leaders at the Jatiya Oikyafront's maiden public rally yesterday asked people to unite for ensuring a free and fair election and “restoring” their right to vote.

The Awami League high command is worried as almost all the 300 constituencies have four to five party leaders each vigorously campaigning for nominations in the parliamentary polls, according to AL insiders.

The hope that the party may win the election if it is held in a free and fair manner has spurred a large number of BNP leaders to emerge as MP aspirants.

In their manifestos for the next national polls, the Awami League wants to focus on the government's "success stories" while the BNP on its “goal to restore democracy", insiders say.

BNP data on police cases filed against its leaders and activists in about five weeks reveal a surprising number of unidentified accused, making the party extremely worried about its grassroots ahead of the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) denies Jatiya Oikyafront of permission for holding a rally in the city on October 23 on security ground.

The ruling Awami League is preparing to beef up electioneering across the country in the next two weeks before the Election Commission announces the schedule of the upcoming parliamentary polls.

The ruling Awami League led 14-party alliance has accused Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar of "violating the oath of secrecy" and it thinks he should resign.