A high level Liaison Committee led by Awami League Presidium Member Begum Matia Chowdhury is keeping in touch with all the opposition political parties.
Meanwhile, according to a source, a BNP team comprising its topmost senior leaders, recently held a secret meeting with Matia Chowdhury.
The BNP is also keeping constant contact with the ruling party, the sources added.
The sources confirmed that BNP will wait up to the month of November, when the Election Commission (EC) is expected to announce the schedule for upcoming 12th Parliamentary election.
As per the EC officials, the next general election will be held in the first week of January, 2024.
It is widely known that BNP is carrying out anti-government movement so that its activists and supporters do not get frustrated and that the financial support from various sectors continues to remain uncut.
According to sources, the Liaison Committee of Awami League already held a series of meetings with almost all the political parties including BNP.
The sources said during a recent meeting with AL's Liaison Committee led by Matia Chowdhury, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that his party wants to keep the election option open as his party earlier had committed political blunders by boycotting elections in 2014 and 2018.
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir informed the AL's Liaison Committee that his party will disclose its final decision immediately after the EC announces the election schedule in November.
According to sources, the BNP is thinking of taking part in the election as the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is repeatedly saying that her government is committed to holding the next general election in free, fair and peaceful manner.
Besides, the sources said, the BNP leaders think that if their party does not take part in this election too, the party will lose minimum public support and that of leaders and activists at the grass roots level.
The party will have to suffer existence crisis if the party does not merge itself in the democratic process through participation in the election.
Other sources said although BNP’s top leader in exile and some other senior leaders at the central level talk about boycotting the election, leaders and activists in the party’s grass roots will not agree with them.
Grass roots level leaders and activists of BNP opined that the BNP should take part in the election for the sake of its existence. Otherwise, the BNP will perish is near future.
According to sources, except BNP and a few other minor parties, most of the political parties, including the main opposition in Parliament, the Jatiya Party are taking preparation for the next general elections.
In the circumstances, BNP has no choice but to take part in the democratic process and constitutional system.
