Bangladesh’s Election Commission on Tuesday said preparations were underway to stage general elections by December as nationwide clashes over the past week prompted the interim government chief Muhammad Yunus to agree to the proposal.

The EC’s comments came a day after Yunus assured former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to hold elections by December.

Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Mohammad Sanaullah told journalists: “We are preparing for the national elections in December (this year).” He was speaking after a meeting with diplomats of 17 western and other countries and the UN and EU representatives here.

Instead of local government elections, as proposed by a government-appointed commission, national elections is the priority, Sanaullah, who was flanked by the diplomats, said. He said the chief adviser earlier mentioned two deadlines but “we, however, are preparing for the first date”.

UN resident representative Stefan Liller, who attended the meeting, said the UN expected the upcoming polls to be the best in Bangladesh’s history and “we are supporting the EC to conduct a free and fair election”. He, however, declined to comment on challenges of holding such elections, saying “that is not for me to comment”.

On Monday, Yunus assured Zia’s BNP on elections as per the party’s demand of quickest possible timing citing reasons of deteriorated law and order situation and the precarious economic conditions.