T he Election Commission (EC) is determined to hold the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election on time and for that matter the commission may announce the polls schedule today or tomorrow, said sources in the EC.
According to EC sources, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal is likely to address the nation today evening following a meeting of the commission scheduled to be held at 5:00pm at the EC headquarters in the capital’s Agargaon. The address of the CEC will be broadcast live on Bangladesh Television.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday also expressed hope that the EC may announce the polls schedule within a day or two.
"The EC may announce the election schedule in one or two days," she said while virtually inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 10,041 structures under 157 development projects, including Sheikh Hasina Swarani (Purbachal Expressway) and first elevated expressway in Chattogram from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital.
Besides, EC secretary Jahangir Alam on Tuesday said he would hold a press briefing at 10:00am today to inform when the schedule would be announced.
He said that it was a tradition that the CEC announces the election schedule in his address to the nation.
"The tradition will continue this time too," he added.
The tenure of the current parliament expires on January 29. As per the Constitution of the state, the national election must be held anytime within the last 90 days of a parliament's tenure. The countdown of the last 90 days began on November 1.
Replying to a query, EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam dismissed the impact of a letter sent by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu, stating that it wouldn't influence the timing of the election schedule announcement.
"The election schedule will be announced as planned. The letter addressed to the three political parties by Donald Lu will not alter the announcement schedule," he said.
Previously, following a meeting with President Mohammad Shahabuddin, the CEC asserted that the national elections must be held at the stipulated time at any cost.
"We have an obligation to hold elections within the specified time. We will announce the schedule very soon," he said.
Later on November 10, Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman hinted that the schedule might be given within a week.
It should be mentioned, the high-officials of EC in several times said that they were ready to hold the next JS polls as all preparations for the polls have already been completed.
Meanwhile, high-ups of all the law-enforcement and intelligence agencies in the country at a meeting with the EC on November 1 informed that at present there is no hurdle to hold the JS polls.
It further could be mentioned that the EC, as part of its preparations, held dialogues with most of the major political parties, representatives of the civil society, NGOs, poll observers at home and abroad and other stakeholders.