Chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday said that the EC was ready and continuing its preparations to hold the national elections whenever it received a clear indication from the government regarding the polls timeline.
Regarding the joint statement issued on Friday after a meeting between chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London, he said that they considered the polls timeline mentioned in the statement as an informal remark.
鈥榃e consider it an informal remark. We have not received any signed or formal government document specifying an exact election date,鈥� the CEC told reporters at his office in the city.
The joint statement mentioned the possibility of holding national elections in February or even before Ramadan, depending on whether all preparations were complete.
Meanwhile, home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on the day said that law enforcement agencies were fully prepared to maintain order once the Election Commission announced the schedule for the coming national election, the United News of Bangladesh reported.
His statement came as he addressed reporters following a meeting of the core committee on law and order held at the home ministry鈥檚 conference room at the secretariat.
His assurance comes amid growing political developments, including a meeting in London on Friday between chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, where they reportedly discussed current national issues, according to the UNB report.
Nasir Uddin said that without formal endorsement, the EC could not treat it as an official directive and was awaiting a written, authenticated communication from the government outlining its agreed position.
鈥榃e must clearly understand the government鈥檚 position, the status of their discussions with political stakeholders and the outcomes of these engagements,鈥� he said.
The CEC said that the EC remained steadfast in its commitment to conducting a free, fair and impartial election.
He said that the commission was working tirelessly behind the scenes, preparing all necessary logistics, updating the voter list and coordinating with relevant stakeholders.
He also mentioned that currently it was 鈥榮pecial circumstances鈥�, different from normal situations, saying that that was why the chief adviser was holding discussions with political parties to build a consensus for the election.
Nasir Uddin said that the EC wanted to convey to the public that any past attempts at ballot box looting or occupying polling centres to manipulate election outcomes would not be tolerated this time.
He warned those with such intents that they were 鈥榙aydreaming.鈥�
鈥榃e have instructed our officers to work on election preparations on a war footing,鈥� the CEC said.
