Voting for the national election is likely to be held in the third week of December as the Election Commission (EC) has completed all preparations to announce the schedule early next month, according to people familiar with the matter.
The EC has convened an inter-ministerial meeting for Oct 31 to discuss eleven agendas, including security issues for the polls.
The announcement will come after a meeting between President Md Abdul Hamid and the Election Commission at the Bangabhaban on Nov 1, EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told the media earlier this week.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune on Wednesday, Ahmed said, “Any decision on the voting is yet to be made.”
Sources at the EC say, the schedule will be announced on Nov 4 or 5 with voting likely to be fixed for Dec 18 or 20. According to them, the EC have already written to state broadcaster BTV to make arrangements for Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda’s address to the nation.
EC officials said, Secretary Ahmed will preside over the Oct 31 inter-ministerial meeting, which will discuss several issue, including security during the polls, obtaining information of loan defaulters, appointing executive magistrates to check violation of the code of conduct and schedule of school and public exams.
Officials of all concerned ministries and divisions have been told to attend the meeting.
“The inter-ministerial meeting ahead of the announcement of polls schedule is meant to coordinate the implementation of our initiatives for elections,” EC Additional Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman told Bangla Tribune.