The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday instructed field administration and police officials to take all necessary legal measures to ensure a smooth and violence-free national election and referendum, warning that failure to hold a credible poll would amount to failure of the country itself.
“If this election fails, we all will fail — Bangladesh will fail,” Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker addressing a view-exchange and electoral management briefing arranged in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban for the returning officers and top officials of the field administration and police ahead of the upcoming national election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, scheduled to be held simultaneously on February 12, 2026.
The event was attended by 226 officials from the field administration, police and the Election Commission.
During the briefing, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and four election commissioners gave the necessary instructions and guidelines to conduct a credible and peaceful election.
CEC Nasir Uddin said the rule of law must be firmly established to ensure a free, fair, acceptable and credible election.
He asked the officials to apply the law equally for everyone. “The rule of law means the law will be blind,” he said.
Calling on the field administration to give the highest priority to communal harmony, the CEC said, for example, a Hindu body “burnt” in Mymensingh.
“Bangladesh may face many such instances of incitement. Communal harmony must be maintained. Those in the administration and police must keep maintaining communal harmony as their top priority,” he added.
The CEC earlier in his opening speech urged the returning officers (ROs) and field-level administration to act rightly and effectively on time to dispel the blame of failure in delivering a credible election.
“I hope that we all together will discharge the huge responsibility that has fallen on our shoulders. Inshallah, we will fulfill this responsibility properly without any deviation. We will do the right work at the right time, effectively,” he said.
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The CEC said he had earlier stated deliberately that the Election Commission wanted to demonstrate what the rule of law truly means, as the Commission and the government administration have been facing collective blame for destroying the electoral system.
“We all are being blamed that we have absolutely failed our responsibility particularly in delivering credible elections. We are being blamed for destroying the election system. It is alleged that we arranged a staged and managed election,” he said.
Nasir Uddin said they want to prove that they can conduct a proper and beautiful election. “We want to be free from this blame. We want to dispel this blame. We want to prove that we can conduct a proper and fair election, and this is possible only through the rule of law,” he said.
Anwarul Islam Sarker said everyone — the government, the people and voters — wants the best election. “We have no room for compromise. We may blend, but we will not break,” he added.
Election Commissioner Tahmida Ahmed asked the officials to conduct the election properly, saying the country’s existence is tied to the success of the polls.“If we fail to do this election well, our existence will be at stake,” she warned.
Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, said directives have already been issued to launch joint operations at the earliest possible time. “The Home Ministry will issue a circular very soon. Illegal arms must be recovered, and terrorists must be brought under the law,” he said.
“If terrorists are not driven out of their areas, they will keep you on the run,” he warned the officials.