BNP says election roadmap reflects ruling party’s wishes

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has dismissed the election schedule as one-sided and said it reflects the wishes of the ruling Awami League.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed his disappointment in his reactions to the polls roadmap announced by Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Thursday evening.

"The Election Commission has unanimously announced a schedule to hold a one-sided election. It reflects the wishes of the government, but ignores the hopes and aspirations of people,” the BNP leader said.

"Our message is absolutely clear that people will not accept any plan for the election that goes against the wishes of the people,” Mirza Fakhrul said.

“You are aware that the representatives of the Jatiya Oikya Front went to the Election Commission with a request to defer the election, but that demand was not accepted.”

Bangladesh will now go to the polls on Dec 23 as the Election Commission has rolled out the roadmap to the 11th parliamentary election after the two main political camps failed to iron out thorny issues.

Huda announced the date in a recorded speech broadcast on Bangladesh TV and Betar on Thursday, setting Nov 19 as the deadline for nomination submission.

The Election Commission will screen the nominations on Nov 22 and set Nov 29 as the deadline for the withdrawal of nominations, giving the aspirants a 10-day window to consider their decision.

Nearly 104.2 million people, including a little more than 51.6 million women, are registered as voters.

They will elect their 300 representatives to parliament through the balloting in more than 40,000 polling stations.