Dhaka, June 6 -- Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has said Bangladesh will hold the 13th parliamentary elections in the first half of April next year, significantly narrowing speculation over the timing, which had ranged from December to June.

Addressing the nation on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha on Friday, Yunus announced that the Election Commission will present a detailed roadmap of the election at an "appropriate time" based on the projected schedule.

"This (timeline) will allow us to implement, at least in part, the mandate you have entrusted to us," he said. "With that in mind, we have engaged in dialogue with all parties to deliver the most free, fair, competitive, and widely accepted election in the country's history."," he said.

"After ...