Dhaka, April 30 – Election Commission (EC) Monday said the schedule of the 11th parliamentary polls will be announced in October this year. “The schedule of 11the general elections would be announced in October. But nothing can be said right now about the exact date. The Commission will take decision about it,” Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said in reply to query of the journalists.
He made the statement at a press conference on the finalization of the delimitation of 300 constituencies.
The 10th parliamentary polls were held on 5 January 2014. As per the election rules, there is an obligation of holding the parliamentary polls between October 29 and January 28.
The first session of the tenth parliamentary polls sat on January 29 in 2014. According to the 15th amendment of the Constitution, a general election of the members of Parliament shall be held in the case of dissolution by reason of the expiration of its term, within the period of ninety days preceding such dissolution.
In January 14 at Satkhira Circuit House, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda told the media that the Commission would starts it preparation for holding the 11th general elections and the elections would be held either between December and January.
So far the announcement of schedule for the next parliamentary polls did not come from the Commission. This is the first time a commissioner before media said the schedule for the elections would be announced in October.
In the 10th general elections, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its alliance boycotted the polls for not reaching to the solution of non-partisan government during polls.
The Commission held the polls on January 4, 2014 and witnessed widespread violence leading to the loss of lives and properties.
The incident of election boycott has already raised questions of the credibility of elections in different quarters.
This time the current Election Commission think the participation of BNP is necessary for making the elections all-inclusive.
CEC once said that BNP is a major political party and the elections cannot be all-inclusive without the participation of them.
Even during the EC’s dialogue with the political parties last year, EC urged BNP to take part in elections.
But BNP said that they would see how EC play its role in creating level playing field for all during the 11th parliamentary polls.
When BNP is brooding on the participation of elections, ruling party Awami League has already started its campaign by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Sylhet in January this year. – Staff Reporter
