14 parties served show-cause notice for failing to file compliance reports

Fourteen out of 39 registered political parties, including Bangladesh Communist Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, have been served show-cause notice as they failed to submit compliance reports to the Election Commission within the deadline – 24 November, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said.

The commission, in a letter on 13 October, asked all the parties to file the reports on whether they are in compliance with the registration terms and conditions.

"Twenty one parties submitted the reports on time, while four others sought extra time for that. Today, we have issued letters [show-cause notices] to the rest 14 seeking explanations why they did not submit the reports," the election commissioner told reporters at his office in the capital Wednesday.

The parties will get 15 days to reply to the notice, he added and noted that those who applied for an extra time were given one month. 

Other parties who got the show-cause notice are the Krishak Sramik Janata League, the Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Muslim League, the Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (M-L), the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh, the Gono Front, the Bangladesh National Awami party, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh.

Although the Bangladesh Kallyan Party and the Ganotantri Party submitted their report immediately after the deadline, they have also been served the show-cause notice, according to the Election Commissioner Md Alamgir.

"Political parties are obliged to provide information which is sought every year. If anyone fails to do so three years in a row, they would be at risk of losing registration," he added.

The Election Commission has started the registration process for new political parties ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

On new parties, Md Alamgir said the Election Commission Secretariat is now looking into the documents submitted by aspirants. "The work is at the last stage. The Secretariat will place those before us after the validity checking process."