Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah has assured that there will be no scope for irregularities in the voting process for expatriate voters. He stated that live verification will be mandatory for casting votes, and intelligence agency personnel will be responsible for ensuring the security of ballots.
The Election Commissioner made the remarks on Sunday morning at the Barishal Circuit House during a views exchange meeting with the Law-and-Order Cell and the Digital and Observation Team ahead of the 13th national parliamentary elections and the 2026 referendum.
Sanaullah added that a total of 119 symbols will be used on the ballots for expatriate voters, which may make opening the envelopes and accurately counting votes more time-consuming. He also noted that only the presiding officer will be allowed to carry a pen inside the polling station, while other officials and staff will use pencils.
The commissioner further stated that 10 magistrates will be assigned to each constituency during voting. He said the commission is taking special precautions to prevent irregularities through mobile financial services. Several meetings have been held to curb vote-buying, and a specific limit will be set for financial transactions.
Sanaullah also instructed officials involved in conducting the election to refrain from accepting any form of hospitality or gifts. In addition, he emphasized the importance of quickly providing the public with accurate information to counter misinformation and rumours.