Dhaka, Nov 11 (Just News): Opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front on Sunday announced to join the upcoming 11th general election and demanded deferment of current schedule of the polls by one month.
"Despite extreme adverse situation, Jatiya Oikyafront has decided to participate in the election as part of their movement for restoration of democracy," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement.
He was reading a written statement on behalf of the alliance’s top leader Dr Kamal Hossain at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.
“We are not moving away from our seven-point demand. We are adding the demand of deferring the election schedule by one month,” said Alamgir.
He further said that the government is yet to ensure a level playing field for holding a free, fair and neutral election.
About the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), Alamgir said, “The Election Commission has not scraped the decision of using EVMs in the poll despite resistance from all the parties and the general people. Amid such a situation, acceptable polls is not possible.”
On November 8, Election Commission announced the schedule for the next general election amid protests from oppositions that the schedule should not be announced before resolution of the political crisis through dialogue.
As per the schedule, the 11th parliamentary elections will be held on December 23 while the last date for submitting nomination papers is November 19, the date for scrutinising nomination papers is November 22 and the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is November 29.
