Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin today said the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election will be announced in the first half of December this year.

He made the remark while speaking to journalists in Barishal on Saturday (October 18), after holding a discussion with officials from the divisional and district administrations, as well as law enforcement agencies.

“The election will be held before Ramadan and in the first half of February. To do that, the election schedule must be announced two months earlier. So, the poll schedule will be declared in early December,” the CEC said.

He said, “We are working toward that goal. The upcoming election will be entirely different from previous ones — there is no possibility of a repeat of what happened in the past.”

Commenting on the issue of the NCP’s request for the ‘Shapla’ (water lily) symbol, the CEC clarified, “There is no scope to allocate the Shapla symbol to the NCP. Our laws and guidelines do not include such a symbol.”

Regarding the banned Awami League’s participation, Nasir Uddin said, “The government has banned the Awami League. A banned party cannot contest the election until their trial process is completed. However, their supporters are free to vote.”

The views-exchange meeting was held at the Barishal Circuit House seminar room, with Barishal Divisional Commissioner Raihan Kawsar presiding over the session.

MN/