Dhaka, Nov. 13 -- With the parliamentary election slated for the first half of February and the schedule due in early December, the Election Commission (EC) opens talks with political parties on Thursday with 12 parites across two sessions. But even before the first meeting, a thorny question looms: will the EC invite the Jatiya Party (JP) when the party itself is split into rival camps?

Adding to the pressure, the Gono Odhikar Parishad has urged the EC not to invite the Jatiya Party or allies of the Awami League-led 14-Party Allince to the dialogue. It has also demanded that office-holders of the now-banned Awami League be barred from running as "independents".

Officials say a phased plan to meet registered parties through November is ...