Donald Lu’s letter won't have any effect on polls schedule: EC

The letter of US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu won't have any effect on the EC's polls schedule announcement, said EC secretary Jahangir Alam.

Alam made the comment while replying to a question of journalists at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon on Tuesday.

He, however, said that the commission is yet to be apprised whether the letter is about a call for dialogue over polls as it didn't come to the EC.

The Election Commission will convene on Wednesday at 5:00 pm to discuss the schedule for the upcoming national election.

EC sources on Tuesday stated that Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal is anticipated to address the nation after the meeting.

Election Commission secretary Jahangir Alam states that it is a tradition for the chief election commissioner to disclose the election schedule in his address to the nation.

The term of the present parliament will expire on January 29. The constitution stipulates that the national election must occur at any time within the last ninety days of a parliament's tenure. The final ninety-day countdown began on November 1.

/MHK/