Dhaka: President of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury on Sunday wrote a letter to the Election Commission (EC) seeking deferment of the national election from December 23 to December 30. 

Badruddoza Chowdhury, also chairman of Juktafront, sought changes in the dates of nomination paper submission and scrutiny of nomination papers, reports the UNB.

Bikalpa Dhara organising secretary barrister Omar Faruk handed over the letter to the Election Commission around 3:30 pm while its presidium member Abdur Rouf Mannam, publication secretary engineer Sheikh Mesbah Uddin Junnu and Bikalpa Srmajibi Dhara president Aynul Haque were present.

In the letter, B Chowdhury said it will be difficult for candidates to submit nomination papers, scrutinising nomination papers and taking interviews in such a short time given by the Commission.

He also said the date of submitting nomination papers should be deferred from November 19 to November 26 for the sake of fair polls and nominating honest candidates. 

The date for the scrutiny of nomination papers should be deferred from November 29 to December 5.

On November 8, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda announced the election schedule stating that the 11th parliamentary elections will be held on December 23.

He announced that the last date for submitting nomination papers is November 19 while the date for scrutinising nomination papers is November 22 and the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is November 29.