Dhaka, Dec. 7 -- Polling centres will be open from 7:30am to 4:30pm on the day of the parliamentary election and July Charter referendum due in early February next year.

The Election Commission (EC) made the decision at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday.

"The time for voting has been extended by an hour," said Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah. "It will open a half hour early in the morning and close a half-hour later. Voting will continue uninterrupted from 7:30am to 4:30pm."

Typically, polls in Bangladesh are open from 8am to 4pm on election day. After its experiences during the mock voting process, the EC decided to extend the time for voters to cast their ballots.

The four other...