Dhaka, Dec. 12 -- Almost all political parties welcomed the 13thh national election schedule announced by the election commission (EC) on Thursday saying it was long awaited as the people failed to franchise their voting rights for the last 17 years.

BNP welcomed the announcement saying the long-awaited national election and the referendum on the Reform Charter, calling it a 'new chapter' in Bangladesh's political journey.

"BNP has never feared elections. We have always maintained that elections are the only path to resolving the ongoing crisis.

Now that the formal process has begun, we welcome the announced schedule," party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters.

Commenting on his party's initial response, Fakhr...