Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah on Monday said journalists and election observers can carry mobile phones inside polling stations on the polling day on February 12, except for four personnel. 

“Journalists and observers with mobile phones will face no problem to have access to polling stations,” he told reporters while visiting the election result booths at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city.

Earlier, the Election Commission had banned the carrying and use of mobile phones within a 400-yard radius of polling stations on polling day, except for four personnel.

The directive was issued in a letter signed by Senior Assistant Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Shahidul Islam, which was sent to the returning officers on Sunday.

According to the EC decision, only three categories of personnel will be allowed to carry mobile phones inside polling stations. 

They are the presiding officer concerned, the police officer who will be in-charge for security at the station concerned, and two Ansar members (Embodied Ansar/General Ansar/VDP) assigned to use the ‘Election Security 2026’ application.

The letter instructed 69 returning officers, including the divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chattogram, deputy commissioners of all 64 districts, and the regional election officers of Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna, to ensure proper implementation of the decision.

Due to the directive, candidates or even journalists will not be permitted to carry or use mobile phones within the 400-yard perimeter of polling stations on polling day.

Following the EC’s letter, Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) on Monday met EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed and protested the EC’s decision that banned carrying of mobile phones by journalists inside the polling stations on the voting day.

RFED President Kazi Jebel said the forum informed the Election Commission that such a decision would create obstacles to press freedom and undermine election transparency.

“Such a decision would hinder the transparency of the election and restrict media freedom. Mobile phones are an indispensable tool for journalists to perform their professional duties,” he said.

The Election Commission announced the election schedule on December 11 last year to hold the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.