Environment favourable for announcing election schedule: EC secretary

Election Commission Secretary Md Jahangir Alam today said the country's environment is favourable for announcing the schedule for the 12th parliamentary election.

"We have taken all-out preparations for the election, and the schedule will be announced during the first half of November," he said during a discussion with the reporters at the Election Commission building in the capital's Agargaon. 

Regarding the foreign election observers, he said, "The National Democratic Institute, the European Union and the Commonwealth have already confirmed the Election Commission of sending election observers. A US organisation already did the pre-assessment.

"The deadline for applying to send observers is 21 November. We will know who else is coming after coordinating with the designated cell of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he added.

Jahangir also mentioned the custom of meeting the president before announcing the election schedules. "The [EC's] meeting with the president is scheduled for Thursday."

He said the president will be informed about all election preparations during the meeting. 

The president will also share his observations and directions with the EC.

When asked whether the commission will leave the schedule to the president, the EC secretary said, "The commission is yet to hold the meeting in this regard."

When asked whether there's a possibility for the schedule to be announced on 12-14 November, Jahangir said the commission will inform the media once it reaches a final decision in this regard. 

He also said the home ministry is making sure of the presence of an adequate number of law enforcers during the polls so that voters can cast their votes without any worry. 

"The home ministry will issue a letter in this regard soon," he added. 

The EC secretary's remarks comes at a time when the current political stalemate shows no signs of ending, as neither the ruling Awami League nor the opposition BNP are softening their positions before the national elections.

Arrests, arson attacks on vehicles and clashes marked the recent countrywide blockades announced by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The BNP-Jamaat and their allies consistently stressed their demand for the resignation of the ruling government and the formation of a caretaker government as a condition for their participation in the forthcoming general elections.

Conversely, the incumbent Awami League government unwaveringly affirmed that the upcoming general elections in Bangladesh will adhere to the constitution and be conducted under the AL government.