The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday told journalists that he would announce the dates for elections to Parliament, upazila and Dhaka City Corporation on Monday after completion of dialogue with all political parties.

However, Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives M Anwarul Iqbal said that Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed would announce the polls date after his return from China in consultation with the Commission.

Asked to clarify the comment made by the Adviser for the LGRD on announcement of polls date, Dr Huda explained that according to rules in the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and the Constitution, the CEC always declares the election date, it is not declared by the Chief Adviser.

He said the Commission would sit in dialogue with BNP and its partners Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote on Saturday to complete the dialogue with political parties, particularly on electoral reform issues.

"After the talks, we will meet with the Chief Adviser to let him know about the progress of the dialogues. Then we will set the dates for elections," Dr Huda said.

He told that the Commission has already received the letters from Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote yesterday on their preparation to join the dialogue.

However, the BNP said it is not ready to sit for talks with the Commission today (Thursday) that led to the rescheduling of the dialogue on Saturday.

"We'll finish the dialogue in a single day (on Saturday)," the CEC hoped.

He said the Commission would announce the specific dates for all elections after making a fresh plan and counting the days carefully for the time lag since the earlier plan about the polls did not stand.

"We've to find out how much gap will there be among the elections," he observed.

Asked whether the upazila polls would be held ahead of general polls, he said, "We had a plan before. But now the plan is not working. We have to make a new plan."

He said the decision as to which election comes first would be taken through discussion.

The CEC said the schedules would not be announced now and hoped that there would not be problem with the election schedule after declaring the specific dates for elections.

Election Commissioners M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain were present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the Adviser for LGRD yesterday told reporters that the Chief Adviser is likely to address the nation on various issues including the elections schedule after his return from China.

He, however said that EC would announce the final date and schedule of the elections.

"The Chief Adviser should address the nation so that the people do not lose faith in the upcoming elections," the Adviser said.