Announcement of polls schedule to dispel doubts

Awami League presidium member Tofail Ahmed yesterday welcomed the Election Commission's assurance that it will announce the election schedule on November 2.
"We think that such an announcement will allay the doubts among the people about the general election," he told reporters after a meeting of the city unit of 14-party alliance at the AL office at Bangabandhu Avenue.
About AL President Sheikh Hasina's participation in the elections, Tofail said, "In our views, there are no legal obstacles to Hasina joining the fray."
About the alliance meeting, the AL leader said they have discussed ways to keep the alliance intact.
He also hoped that a greater electoral alliance would be formed in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. "The greater alliance will include progressive and democratic forces."
Tofail said they are trying to do everything they need to participate in the upcoming election from a single platform and to build a democratic and secular Bangladesh.
Hasanul Haq Inu, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), a component of the alliance, told reporters that the partners of the alliance were not satisfied over seat-sharing last time.
"This time, we hope we will be able to expand and unite the 14-party alliance by ensuring satisfaction of all components of the alliance," he added.