CEC reaffirms commitment to peaceful, credible polls
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Wednesday, February 11, reaffirmed unwavering commitment to delivering a peaceful, credible and participatory election.
“As we approach the election day that is tomorrow, I wish to reaffirm the election commission's unwavering commitment to delivering a peaceful, credible and participatory election,” he said while briefing international election observers and foreign journalists in Dhaka.
The briefing was arranged at a city hotel on the eve of the Referendum 2026 and the 13th Parliamentary Election to be held on Thursday, February 12.
The CEC said transparency in the voting and counting process will be ensured.
“Voters, irrespective of gender, age or background, are encouraged to participate freely,” he said.
The CEC said ballots are issued only after proper identification and voting is conducted in secrecy in accordance with the prescribed rules. Any electoral dispute will be addressed strictly in accordance with established legal and constitutional procedures, he added.
“Transparency remains a cornerstone of our election management,” he said, adding that approximately 330 international observers and more than 160 international journalists are independently covering the elections.
Nasir Uddin said that from the very first day of his commission’s journey, they have prioritised transparency.
Pointing at the observers and journalists, he said, “Your engagement is profoundly meaningful for ensuring the highest level of clarity and public confidence in this election.”
Four election commissioners, Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarker and Brig Gen (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, and EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed were present.
The CEC said the electoral process is free, fair, impartial and credible. The Commission’s preparations have followed a coordinated and multi-dimensional approach encompassing legal reform, institutional readiness, stakeholder consultations and operational planning, he said.
Noting that special emphasis was placed on voter registration, he said, “Through a nationwide voter list update, approximately 4.5 million new voters have been enrolled, including 2.7 million women, bringing the total number of registered voters to over 127 million with a high level of data accuracy.”
About the postal balloting system, Nasir Uddin said for the first time, the commission has introduced out-of-country voting through which it supported postal ballots for Bangladesh diaspora voters. “Despite a limited preparation and outreach period, the response has been encouraging with approximately 0.8 million expatriate voters completing registration,” he said.
At the same time, in-country postal voting has been undertaken for eligible categories of voters, he added.
“All operational arrangements have been finalised,” he said, adding that all electoral materials, including ballot papers, have already been distributed to the returning officers for the respective constituencies, and the ballot papers are currently being distributed to the polling centres.
“Voting will take place in a single day beginning at 7:30 am and concluding at 4:30 pm,” said the CEC.
Explaining the polling process, he said the presiding officers, assisted by assistant presiding officers and polling officers, will manage polling operations and vote-counting at the polling stations in the presence of candidates or their authorised agents as well as accredited observers and journalists.
After the close of polling, counting will be conducted at the polling stations under the supervision of the presiding officers, he said.
“Results will be announced at the polling stations upon completion of counting and subsequently compiled and publicly declared by the returning officers,” Nasir Uddin said.
Source: UNB