12th general election on Jan 7: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday announced that the 12th parliamentary election will be held on January 7, 2024.

In a televised address to the nation this evening, Awal unveiled the election schedule, urging all political parties to join the polls, shunning the path of politics of confrontation.

The announcement was made at a time when several significant and unresolved issues related to the polls, including the formation of an election-time government, remained unresolved.

Citing the constitutional obligation to hold the national election within 90 days of completion of the tenure of the outgoing government, the CEC said the commission has undertaken all-out preparation to hold the 12th national election in a free, fair, and impartial manner.

In his speech, he said that the Election Commission (EC) has invited all registered political parties to hold talks. However, some political parties including the BNP did not pay heed to the call of the EC.

The commission also arranged training for the field level election officials across the country and other stakeholders to hold the national election fairly, he said.

“But there is no political consensus yet on what will be the election-time government. Reaching a consensus through dialogue is not illusive,” said the CEC during his address to the nation.

According to the schedule, an aspirant can submit his or her nomination paper by November 30 and the nomination papers will be scrutinised between December 1 and December 4.

The candidate will be able to withdraw their candidatures by December 17 and the commission will allocate electoral symbols on December 18, said the CEC.

An election can be held in a free, fair and inclusive manner through enthusiastic participation of all stakeholders in the poll process, he said.

If the political parties imbued with their own spirits take part in the electoral race only then the national election be held in a competitive and congenial atmosphere, he said, calling upon all political parties to join the polls.

He said that the political parties and their leaders must uphold the electoral code of conduct and all officials of the commission across the country must follow the electoral rules for the sake of the neutrality of the election.

The members of law enforcement agencies will have to ensure security for the voters and a congenial atmosphere in and around the polling centres across the country, he said.

They will have to remain alert to prevent vote rigging, ballot stuffing, false vote casting, exchange of money and showing off muscle power during the election.

Claiming that the favourable atmosphere is an integral part of holding the election fairly and inclusively, he said differences among the country's political parties have been noticed for a long time.

There might be such differences in the multi-party democracy but if the difference turns into a politics of vengeance, it impacts the total electoral process severely, he said.

“I am calling upon all political parties to find a solution, shunning the path of politics of vengeance and confrontation. At the same time, I am requesting the people to come to their respective polling centres and cast their vote in a festive mode,” Awal said.

“To reach a consensus through dialogue, avoiding the path of politics of vengeance and mistrust is not a tough job indeed. Mutual understanding, tolerance, endurance and resilience are imperative for a sustainable stable democracy,” he said.