The schedule for the 11th parliamentary election will be announced on Thursday, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury said Sunday evening.
He made the announcement while briefing reporters after a meeting of the commission on the poll schedule at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, Dhaka.
“Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda will announce the election schedule by addressing the nation on BTV and Bangladesh Betar on November 8,” the election commissioner told reporters.
Usually, the CEC’s address on the state-run television channel and radio is aired after 7pm. The schedule of the last parliamentary election was announced at 7:30pm.
Replying to a query, the election commissioner said they had previously planned to announce the schedule on Sunday.
“However, considering all aspects, we have decided to announce the schedule on November 8,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday, veteran jurist and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, who is leading Jaitya Oikya Front, a newly formed political coalition that includes BNP, urged the Election Commission not to announce the schedule before their dialogue with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was finished.
The prime minister is scheduled to hold a second round of dialogue with Oikya Front leaders on November 7 morning, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told reporters Sunday night, after a meeting among the leaders of the ruling 14-Party Alliance.
Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury briefs the press, at the Election Commission office on Sunday, November 4, 2018 | Bilkis Irani/Dhaka Tribune
On Saturday, Quader had said no more dialogues would be held after November 7.
On Sunday, when Election Commissioner Shahadat was asked when the general election was likely to take place, he said: “After the schedule is announced, the election is typically held within 45 days. That is the standard time.”
Earlier on Thursday, after a meeting with President Abdul Hamid, CEC Nurul Huda had said the Election Commission was prepared to hold the election in seven days’ notice.
Regarding army deployment during the election, Shahadat Hossain said no decision had been made yet.
In Sunday’s meeting, the Election Commission also finalized the rules for using electronic voting machines (EVMs), Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury told reporters.
“The EVMs will be used on a limited scale,” he added. “But it has not been decided as to how many constituencies they will be used in.”
The Election Commission also finalized the rules of submitting nomination papers online, he further said.
Both sets of rules will be implemented after they are vetted by the Ministry of Law, he added.
Asked about the High Court’s directive on BNP’s constitution, the election commissioner said they would follow the court’s decision as soon as possible.
Asked about the possibility of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently in jail serving time due to corruption charges, participating in the election, Shahadat said: “You will be informed about it later.”