The Election Commission, reaffirming that the next parliamentary polls will be held in December, yesterday initiated the registration process for new political parties.

The Election Commission’s roadmap for the next parliamentary polls is very much “conventional” and it does not detail how the challenges of holding a free, fair and inclusive election will be addressed, say experts.

Ensuring that the upcoming parliamentary polls are free, fair and inclusive is a challenge in pursuit of good governance and a functioning democracy, Transparency International Bangladesh has observed.

There is no question of participating in the next parliamentary election unless the current AL government resigns, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said today, (May 8, 2022).

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday demanded the next parliamentary polls be held under a non-partisan government, claiming that no fair election would be possible with Sheikh Hasina in power.

On July 26, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said 'a caretaker government is not a must for holding national election, but it has to be held under a neutral government, no matter what its name is'.

Expressing frustration over Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam’s remark that the next election will be held under the ruling party, BNP reiterated its call for holding dialogue over the frame work of a polls-time neutral government.