Bangladesh Nationalist Party - which had boycotted the last general election, has finally “decided” to join the upcoming one and will send a letter to the Election Commission on Sunday (Nov 11) seeking deferment of the polls by one month, local media reports said.
The party finalised the decision on Saturday night after a series of meetings with its two alliance partners and standing committee members, two party senior leaders told a news agency.
After a meeting of Jatiyo Oikyafront, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Dr Kamal Hossain will announce the alliance’s decision in the noon on Sunday at a press conference at the Jatiyo Press Club.
An Oikyafront leader said Dr Kamal is likely to make an announcement to join the election on some conditions, including the deferment of its schedule by one month.
He said Dr Kamal may also announce a foot-march programme towards the Election Commission for Nov 13 to force it to accept the demand.
Besides, the Oikyafront will send a letter to the EC on Sunday for deferring the election schedule and the alliance leaders seek time to meet the Chief Election Commissioner on Monday.
A top leader of the 20-party alliance said BNP has given its registered alliance partners a green signal to send letters to the Election Commission on Sunday informing it that they want to join the election in alliance and use BNP’s election symbol.
On Thursday evening, Chief Election Commissioner K M Nurul Huda in a televised address to the nation announced the schedule for the next general election.
As per the schedule, the 11th parliamentary elections will be held on Dec 23. The last date for submitting nomination papers is Nov 19, the date for scrutinising nomination papers is Nov 22, and the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is Nov 29.
