‘Last date for nomination filing Dec 2, withdrawal Dec 13’
The 10th parliamentary election is likely to be held on January 5, an election commissioner told The Daily Star today.
The aspirants will get time till December 2 to submit nomination papers, according to well-placed sources in the Election Commission.
Nominations papers will be scrutinised on December 5-6. The last date for withdrawing candidature is December 13, added the sources.
While the sources talked to the newspaper on condition of anonymity, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed confirmed that he would address the nation at 7:30pm where he would announce the schedule.
Asked about preparations for the election, he replied: “You will get all the answers in my speech.”
The Election Commission issued a press statement on the CEC’s address to the nation which will be broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Betar.
“The chief election commissioner will address the nation at 7:30pm today where he will announce the schedule of 10th parliamentary election and preparations for it,” reads the statement.
The move comes amid threats by the main opposition party that it would paralyse the country if the election schedule is announced before a non-party polls-time government is formed to oversee the election.
Ignoring the opposition’s demand and threats to foil the election, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina moved to bring changes to the cabinet, terming it as an ‘all-party polls time cabinet’ to oversee the next parliamentary election.
But she could only manage to bring in lawmakers from her allies Jatiya Party and Workers Party, aside from her own party.
However, the PM yesterday extended an invitation to the opposition chief Khaleda Zia, offering any ministry the BNP leader wants for joining the polls-time cabinet.
The BNP-led opposition combine, meanwhile, threatened to paralyse the country the moment a schedule for the polls published.
Source: The Daily Star
