Bangladesh Election Commission to announce Feb polls roadmap this week

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s top polls body will announce the action plan for the upcoming general elections within this week, a senior official has said.

The 13th parliamentary polls in Bangladesh are set to take place in February next year.

Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Monday said that a draft of the election roadmap has been prepared and will soon be submitted to the polls body for final approval, the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported.

He said the plan focuses on inter-departmental coordination and relevant operational issues.

"We hope to finalise and publish it within the week," the report quoted him as saying.

Asserting that there is no reason to worry about the law and order situation, he said law enforcement agencies and administrative officials are already active in their respective areas.

"If everyone does their part responsibly, there won't be any problem," he said.

He emphasised the importance of early preparation, noting that if all parties involved complete their tasks in advance, the polling process will be smoother and more coordinated.

Ahmed's remarks come amid growing speculation over the elections, following statements by leaders of the National Citizen Party who dismissed the possibility of polls taking place in February next year without key reforms and the completion of trials initiated by the interim government.

Earlier this month, the interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said the general elections would be held in February and the Election Commission subsequently announced the polls would be held in the first week of the month.