AL to decide on seat-sharing issue on Dec 17: Quader

The ruling Awami League will decide on the seat-sharing issue within the alliance on the final day of withdrawal of candidacy, the party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader said today.

"Those who want to participate in the election will have to submit their nomination papers first. If there is a seat-sharing issue within the alliance, there is still time for that," Quader said while briefing reporters at the party president's Dhanmondi office.

According to the Election Commission, the deadline for submitting nomination papers for the 12th general election ends on November 30.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted by December 1-4, and the final date for withdrawing candidacy is December 17, according to the EC announced schedule.

Voting will be held on January 7.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, however, said there is nothing to be confused over the alliance.

"Why should we nominate a candidate who will fail to win?" he asked.

Regarding election observers, he said the AL is not worried.

"Whether the UN will send observers is up to them. Names of more than 100 observers, including from the United States, have been sent to the Election Commission.

"Due to confusion created over the election, many have thought the observers would not come. We are not worried," added Quader.

Quader said there might be surprises in the run-up to the election, but inviting the BNP is not one of them.

"There is no scope for Awami League to invite them," he added.

Asked what could be the surprises, Quader said time will reveal those.

"We will have to wait till the election [for that]. But who thought the Jatiya Party will contest in 293 constituencies, Trinamool BNP will be contesting in 300 seats?" said the veteran politician.

He, however, hoped that the next election would be a good one.

"There would be no scope to call it a voter-less election. It will be no less an election than the developed countries," said the AL general secretary.

Replying to a question, Quader said the government expects that the US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas will adhere to the code of conduct as an ambassador.

He said the rebel and independent candidates are not the same. But he said AL will monitor the situation till December 16.