Comparing to the previous general polls in Bangladesh, the KM Nurul Huda-led Election Commission (EC) is rather moving hastily to hold the 11th Parliamentary Election.

Chief Election Commissioner Huda will announce the schedule on Thursday (Nov 8), nine days after the countdown to national polls began.

The Bangladesh Constitution stipulates of holding the general election within 90 days of the expiry of the existing parliament, which means the polls has to be held between Oct 30 and Jan 28.

Observers say the commission had the option to wait for a political consensus.

The EC, however, maintains that it was not a hasty move rather a calculated one considering all the factors.

The schedule will be announced during CEC Huda’s address to the nation Thursday evening.

“We are fully prepared for announcement of the schedule,” EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told the media on Wednesday.

According to sources at the EC, the voting is likely to be held on Dec 20, even if it’s changed it will be no later than Dec 23.

The schedule for the Jan 5, 2014 polls were announced on Nov 25, 2013, a month after the countdown began.

The then-CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, however, said during his address to the nation that they had waited for a political consensus, but due to Constitutional provision they were announcing the schedule 45 days ahead of the voting.

The 2008 elections were held under the military-backed caretaker regime, which had pledged for a poll by December that year. The voting was held on Dec 28. The Shamsul Huda-led commission had then deferred the schedule three times for the sake of an all inclusive election.

In 1996, the schedule was announced 29 days after the countdown began with 47 days left for the voting.

After the HM Ershad regime was toppled, the schedule for the national polls was announced 78 days ahead of the voting.

“It’s the commission who can say better what they have considered for announcing the schedule,” former election commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain told Bangla Tribune.

“However, they could have not rushed it as talks were ongoing in an effort to end the political impasse. And they do have the time. If any party cannot take part in the polls, then the EC will be liable to the nation,” he added.

The EC, however, says they have considered all the factors before deciding to announce the schedule.

“The context of the Jan 5, 2014 polls and now are different,” Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said while speaking to Bangla Tribune.

On the Oikya Front’s talks with the government he said, “Dr Kamal Hossain (and the alliance he leads) has urged to defer the polls citing a consensus after talks. What I ask, can you specifically say when the talks will end? What if we fail to perform our Constitutional duty for the sake of these talks?”

Islam, however, said there’s always the option for rescheduling if all the political parties agree. “If all the political parties reach to a consensus, then we may defer the voting.”