Staff Correspondent

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal will hold a meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Thursday to discuss the issue of announcing the schedule for the 12th parliamentary election.

Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md Jahangir Alam, said while talking to reporters at his commission office in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Following the tradition, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) pays a courtesy call on the president before announcing the schedule for the national election, Alam said.

During the meeting, the CEC will inform the overall progress and preparation of the commission relating to the announcement of the polls schedule and other issues, Alam said.

"The election schedule may be announced any day in the first half of November, with the national election likely to be held either in the last week of December or the first week of January," he said.

The country’s prevailing atmosphere is still conducive to announce the schedule for the 12th parliamentary election, he said.

Alam said the EC is committed to holding the next general election within the stipulated time and the congenial atmosphere for the election schedule still exists.

The EC official came up with the observation when the ruling and opposition parties are at loggerhead over the caretaker government issue.

BNP, the main opposition political party in Bangladesh, already took to the street to realise its demand for holding the next general election under a nonparty caretaker government.

Besides, the ruling Awami League is rigid on its stance to hold the election under the administration led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Amid the circumstances, the EC secretary said that the 12th parliamentary election is approaching fast and it will be held within the stipulated time in line with the constitution.