Apparently intent on holding the next parliamentary election on January 21, it however will not take any step on its own, rather will wait for the president/chief adviser, who had reportedly made the EC unveil the schedule surreptitiously, to act to that end.

The UN Secretary General's special envoy Craig Jenness who met the acting chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners yesterday morning enquired how a political consensus could be reached on the official polls plan.

In reply, acting CEC Justice Mahfuzur Rahman told the envoy,"President/Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed has already made a move to have a political consensus over the issue. We wish all the political parties take part in the election."

Later, when the reporters asked him whether such measures [for consensus] could have been taken before declaring the schedule, he said, "None took such steps then and now we cannot initiate any."

Justice Mahfuz talked to the media yesterday for the first time since the announcement of schedule.

He told the reporters that during the meeting, the United Nations special envoy has expressed concern about the upcoming election.

The acting EC chief declined to make any comment when asked if the EC too is worried about the way things have panned out since the declaration of election schedule. Then when queried whether the EC has had any meeting to review the prevailing situation, he said, "It is an internal matter. So, no comment."

He also did not answer whether the election minus any major political alliance will be acceptable or not.

He however said they might rearrange different dates like the ones for filing nomination and withdrawing candidature if the political parties arrive at a consensus over the issue. "But because of time constraints there is no scope to change the polling day," he added.

Asked if the EC will suspend the operation of the schedule until the outcome of president's initiative, the acting CEC replied in the negative.

EC Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarkar met the president late at night Sunday and the following morning the EC announced the schedule.

The Awami League-led 14-party alliance, Liberal Democratic Party-led Jatiya Oikya Front, and a few other political parties rejected the schedule outright while the BNP led four-party alliance welcomed it.

Against this background, the EC secretary met the president on Wednesday afternoon again and after that, Iajuddin sent his adviser Mokhlesur Rahman to AL President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to discuss different issues including the possibility of rescheduling the election dates.

Meanwhile, about his meeting with the acting CEC, the UN special envoy told reporters, "I only laid stress on the UN secretary general's hope that there will be a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election in Bangladesh."

"We discussed the overall electoral environment," the UN envoy said adding that he thinks the EC intends to do its best to build up confidence among the political parties.

Everyone likes to see a free and fair election and the Election Commission should remain committed to holding that, he observed.