Staff Reporter :
President Abdul Hamid has expressed satisfaction over the preparations of the Election Commission (EC) for holding the upcoming parliamentary polls in a free and fair manner, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda told journalists yesterday.
“We inform the President about our preparations. He has expressed satisfaction,” CEC KM Nurul Huda said.
The CEC led all the commission members to the pre-scheduled meeting at Bangabhaban.
“Election will be held following the Constitution. It is a Constitutional obligation that President will be informed about EC preparations for holding national election. We did it. It is nothing special,” he said.
The CEC said the commission will sit on November 4 to discuss pending issues including announcement of election schedule.
“We will take decision on election schedule in the November 4 meeting. Nothing we can say before that,” Nurul Huda said, adding that, “The initiative of dialogue will not influence Commission’s go-ahead towards announcing election schedule.” “I will announce election schedule through delivery of speech for the nation,” he added.
On October 31, EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmad told reporters that election schedule will be announced within the first week of November.
He also told reporters that the EC is moving towards holding of the national election between 18th to 20th December.
As part of the move, the EC delegation met President Abdul Hamid on November 1.
In reply to a question regarding any possible delay in holding of the election beyond December, Nurul Huda firmly said, “Election will be held in December unless anything happens.”
He also expressed optimism that all of the political parties will take part in the election.
EC Members Mahbub Talukder, Begum Kabita Khanam, Rafiqul Islam, Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury and Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad accompanied the CEC at the Bangabhaban.
