The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said it will review and, if needed, amend the guidelines for journalists as their cooperation is crucial for transparent elections.
The assurance came at a views-exchange meeting between the Election Commission and the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED).
During the meeting, journalists covering election news demanded a revision of the ‘Guidelines for Journalists/Media Personnel Assigned to Cover Election News 2025,’ which the EC issued last July ahead of the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for early February 2026.
Speaking at the event, election commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said cooperation from journalists is crucial for ensuring transparent elections.
“We all want a transparent election. For this, your cooperation is extremely important. No wrongdoing will be patronised. We may make mistakes, but we will not tolerate any injustice. So, we seek your (journalists) cooperation,” he said.
Talking about the written demands placed by the RFED, Rahmanel Masud said these demands for changes in the guidelines will be reviewed. “We’ll do whatever is best for both sides, for the people, and for holding a fair and transparent election,” he said.
He said they would not tolerate any injustice, though mistakes might happen, and sought the cooperation of journalists in this regard.
EC Masud he would take steps in the best interest of journalists, the Election Commission, the people, and to ensure free and fair elections after reviewing the proposed amendments to the media code of conduct,Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker acknowledged the trust deficit surrounding elections, saying that the real problem is that none is in a position of trust.
“The crisis of trust is our national crisis. I cannot say in isolation that someone is bad and I am good. And you cannot say that I am bad and you are good. In this situation, the first thing our Election Commission is saying is that trust must be restored,” he said.
“We should cooperate with each other so that we can hold a good election.... since the main objective is the same for all of us. I think that these can be resolved later through discussion," he said.
Two other election commissioners Tahmina Ahmad and Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah and EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed also spoke at the event.
RFED President Kazi Emad Uddin Jebel made a presentation over proposed guidelines desired by the journalists and handed over it to the EC in the function moderated by RFED general secretary Golam Rabbani.