Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury-led Juktafront will 'undoubtedly' participate in the upcoming national election under their party-led alliance. He came up with the remark while talking to reporters at the AL President's Dhanmondi political office after a meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Board (ALPB) held with Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

About finalising the AL nominations, Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said they have reports of 5-6 surveys carried out by different agencies on the probable candidates in their hands and the ALPB members are scrutinising the reports. He said the nominations will be finalised within two or three days. "We're taking our time to choose our candidates as the election date has deferred to December 30 from December 23," he said. The ruling party leader also said other components of the AL-led alliance may get 65-70 seats in the 11th parliamentary elections. "However, this may vary given any change in the election atmosphere," he added.

Asked about the AL manifesto for the upcoming election, Quader said the preparations for formulating it are at the final stage and it will be published soon. A huge number of party leaders and activists gathered in front of the party chief's political office since morning.

Meanwhile, Jukto Front yesterday sent a letter to the Election Commission to extend the deadline for symbol allocation in the upcoming parliamentary election. Barrister Omar Faruk, organising secretary of Jukto Front hands over the letter, signed by the Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) president and Jukta Front chairman Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, to the EC office in the city’s Agargaon area. BDB Presidium member Abdur Rauf Mannan and Bangladesh NAP secretary general M Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan accompanied him.

In the letter, Jukto Front stated that the extension of time for the allocation of electoral symbol is needed and logical as the EC rescheduled the parliamentary election to December 30 from December 23. It also requested the EC to extend the time period by 10 days, and make November 26 the new deadline for symbol allocation for the sake of a free and fair elections.