Bangladesh to hold parliamentary polls on 23 December amid calls from Opposition for deferment

Dhaka: Bangladesh will hold its general election on 23 December, the country’s electoral body announced on Thursday amid an impasse between the government and the main Opposition alliance over the timing of the polls. [caption id=“attachment_4954581” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Bangladesh’s prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Reuters[/caption] “The polling date is 23 December,” Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said in a televised address. Huda made the announcement hours after his meeting with four election commissioners to finalise the poll date which came amid calls from the newly-floated National Unity Front (NUF) to defer the election schedule while the ruling Awami League urged the commission to stick to its plan. The election commission earlier said it was constitutionally obligated to hold the election by 28 January, as the countdown to the polls began. Opposition parties have expressed concerns that the polls will not be democratic and have threatened protests. Huda urged all political parties to take part in the election to continue Bangladesh’s “development efforts and put democracy on a stronger footing”.