Restoring public trust in elections a major challenge: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has said that restoring people’s trust in the election process is a major challenge.

He made the remarks on Saturday (August 9) morning after a meeting with election officials at the Rangpur Regional Election Officer’s Office.

Nasir Uddin said ensuring free, fair, and impartial elections is a challenge for both the government and the Election Commission. He added that, unlike many other countries where law and order deteriorate after a change of government, the situation in Bangladesh is comparatively better. He expects the law-and-order situation to improve further ahead of the upcoming elections.

He also noted that maintaining normal law and order is one challenge, but restoring people’s confidence in all aspects of the election process is an even bigger one.

The CEC said that previous elections had faced questions for various reasons, but this year’s election will meet international standards. Public awareness campaigns have been launched to encourage people to participate in the voting process. All necessary initiatives will be taken to restore public trust in the election.

He added that officials and staff who were criticised for their conduct in past elections are being reconsidered for replacement in the upcoming election. Taking into account the country’s geographical conditions, specific plans are also being made to ensure a smooth voting process.

Addressing the role of media personnel during the elections, the CEC emphasised that the media is not a challenge to the Election Commission but an ally. The media operates within established rules and regulations. However, misuse of social media and artificial intelligence (AI) technology poses a challenge. The commission is actively working to address and overcome these issues.

The CEC also warned that if disorder occurs at any polling station, voting at multiple nearby centres may be suspended.