Polls schedule to be announced in due time

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday, June 21, said the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary election will be announced in due course, reaffirming the Election Commission’s (EC’s) commitment to following due process.

“You’ll know the election date at the right time. We will announce the schedule in due course,” he told reporters after inaugurating a training programme in Dhaka.

The daylong training programme on electoral laws and rules started at the Electoral Training Institute in the morning.

Asked whether the Election Commission (EC) has talks with the government over the next election, Nasir Uddin said formal and informal communications can take place in various ways. “It’s not like that we’re isolated on an island, away from the government,” he said.

He stressed that an election cannot be held without the cooperation of the government.

“No matter how independent the EC is said to be, it is not possible to hold an election without the government's support. We have to conduct the polls with the cooperation from the government," said the CEC.

He said the EC requires assistance from law enforcement agencies, and administration and its officials to conduct the election. “So, the government will naturally play a key role in the election. It (election) won’t be possible without it,” he said.

Replying to a question when the EC will unveil the election roadmap, he said everything will be made clear in due time.

“We are not hiding anything. We won’t call it a roadmap…(but) any office has a work plan. A national election of this scale must require an internal work plan. It’s for our own use—not for sharing with everybody,” Nasir Uddin added.