Dhaka, Dec. 11 -- The Election Commission is set to announce the schedule for Bangladesh's 13th national election and the upcoming referendum on the July National Charter at 6pm on Thursday, marking a decisive step toward a political calendar that has been the subject of intense anticipation in recent weeks.

Senior Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Akhtar Ahmed confirmed the development on Wednesday evening after the recording of Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin's address for Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar.

The CEC's speech, recorded earlier in the afternoon at his office in the capital's Nirbachan Bhaban, will be aired nationwide today in the evening.

Speaking to reporters, Akhtar Ahmed said the...