United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission (EC) is considering appointing a symbolic number of returning officers (ROs) from its own officials—alongside Deputy Commissioners—for the first time in a parliamentary election in Bangladesh. The Commission has begun preparing a list of qualified senior officials, primarily regional election officers and senior district election officers, with the intention of appointing a small number of ROs from within the EC during the upcoming national election and referendum, likely to be held in a single day in February, 2026, officials said. Election experts have welcomed the move, describing it as a positive step towards strengthening the Commission’s control over the electoral process. Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker hinted that the Commission may appoint some ROs from its own staff in the 13th parliamentary election if suitable officers are found. Read more: EC urges caution against creating confusion over election schedule, voting date “If we find fitted persons among them, they might be made returning officers,” he told UNB on Thursday. The Election Commissioner, however, said no decision has been taken yet in this regard. Although EC officials have previously served as ROs in various local government elections—city corporations, upazilas, municipalities and union parishads—they have never been appointed to the role in a national election or by-election. Former commissions argued that EC officials lack full control over the entire local administration including magistrates, different service officers and law enforcement agency members, which is a barrier for them to conduct a peaceful and fair parliamentary election. BNP has recently demanded the appointment of ROs and assistant returning offices (AROs) from the EC officers. Several political parties, civil society members and EC officers themselves have also long been urging the Commission to appoint ROs from among EC officials. Besides, the Electoral System Reform Commission formed by the current interim government recommended the EC’s own staff shall be prioratised in appointment of ROs and AROs in the election. If there is no adequate number of EC’s staff to perform such duty, then appointment shall be made from the administration and other cadre services, the Reform Commission’s report recommended. BNP places 3 fresh proposals before EC, raises no objection to election schedule Chief of Electoral System Reform Commission Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar told UNB that the move to appoint some ROs from their own staff would be a positive initiative, noting that the Commission often distances itself from responsibility for flawed elections. “The Commission usually says returning officers—not they—are liable for a bad election. If the returning officers are chosen from their own staff, the Commission will no longer be able to shift the blame,” he said. According to the Article 7 of the Representation of the People Order 1972, the Commission shall appoint a Returning Officer for each constituency for the purpose of election of a member for that constituency; and a person may be appointed as Returning Officer for two or more constituencies. The RPO Article also states that the Commission may appoint as many Assistant Returning Officers as may be necessary but provided that no Assistant Returning Officer shall be appointed for more than one constituency. On November 19 last, a BNP delegation headed by its Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan at the EC’s pre-election dialogue demanded the Election Commission to appoint returning officers (ROs) and assistant returning officers (AROs) from the EC’s own staff in the elections to bring a positive change in the country’s politics. “If you show courage once to take a decision that the returning officers and assistant returning officers would be appointed from the dedicated persons of your election commission, Bangladesh would witness a qualitative change in its politics,” said Dr Moyeen Khan in the dialogue. Read more: Over 156,000 Bangladeshi expats registered so far to vote The EC usually appoints a returning officer for all the constituencies in a district with some exceptions.  In the last 12th parliamentary election held on January 7, 2024, a total of 66 returning officers were appointed for the country’s 300 constituencies – one RO for each 62 district and two ROs each for Dhaka and Chattogram districts. Deputy Commissioners were made ROs for 62 districts, while respective Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for the constituencies in Dhaka and Chattogram districts at that time.  The RPO article also defined the duty of ROs stating that it shall be the duty of a Returning Officer to do all such acts and things as may be necessary for effectively conducting an election in accordance with the provisions of this RPO and the electoral rules. The RPO article 7(4) also states “Subject to the superintendance, direction, and control of the Commission, the Returning Officer shall supervise all works in the district [or constituency] in connection with the conduct of elections and shall also perform such other duties and functions as may be entrusted to him by the Commission. Read more: BNP places 3 fresh proposals before EC, raises no objection to election schedule

Intelligence agencies are currently gleaning information about the deputy commissioners (DCs) who served as returning officers in 2024 general elections, said Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhlesur Rahman on Sunday. Among DCs who were made officers on special duty (OSD) or sent into forced retirement for their role in 2014 and 2018 national elections, cases will be filed only against those against whom there are allegations of financial irregularities, he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat. “The government has not acted unjustly or with bias against anyone. Decisions were made solely in the interest of the state,” the senior secretary said. He said after reviewing intelligence reports, the government will make final decisions through the Advisory Council’s committee. 21 ex-DCs sent into forced retirement Depending on the severity of the allegations, some officials may be made OSD or sent into compulsory retirement, but the government will ensure fairness in all cases, he added. Meanwhile, nine additional secretaries from different ministries are set to be promoted to the position of secretary soon, he said. He said the government has decided on these promotions based on merit and eligibility, ruling out any favoritism in the process.

As the party wants the next national election to be held in a free and fair manner, the BNP has begun preparing a list of controversial teachers and other officials who served as returning officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers, and were involved in vote rigging during the national and local body elections over the past 15 years. Speaking to UNB, several BNP leaders revealed that in a recent virtual meeting with the party’s organisational secretaries, the Acting Chairman of the BNP instructed that the list be compiled and submitted to Upazila Election Offices in each district. They said the move has been taken to ensure that these people are excluded from voter registration or election management duties in future polls. The BNP leaders said they have also instructed their party leaders and activists across the country to remain vigilant as the Election Commission (EC) launched the voter list updating process nationwide, to ensure that the job is done properly and fairly. Besides, they said, Tarique Rahman also instructed them to expedite the formation of committees for expired party units at the district, city, upazila, thana, municipality, and union levels across the country. This ensures that the party can be strengthened before the upcoming national election. The BNP leaders said the party high command is working on reorganising the party with sincere and clean-image leaders to face future challenges and overcome the electoral hurdles. A BNP standing committee member, wishing to remain anonymous, said the party believes the next election may not be easy for them due to emerging factors. Read: 12th Parliamentary Election: Voting begins amid opposition boycott “First of all, the government seems to be unnecessarily buying time in the name of reforms. So, we’re preparing to exert pressure on the government to complete the election-related reforms and arrange the election either by August or November,” he said. Secondly, the BNP leader said the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination movement are trying to form a political party with the backing of the interim government. “We don’t have any objection if anyone from any party forms a party, but it should be done through the political process without government support,” he said. The BNP leader said if students form a party with government support and have some of their leaders as advisers in the interim government, they may try to influence the election in various ways. “So, we’re making various strategies to prevent vote rigging and other irregularities during the next election.” As part of their strategies, the BNP leader said they have started compiling a list of controversial teachers, bank officials, and government employees to prevent them from being involved in election duties. He said they have started to suspect that the government is not working impartially, which is a matter of concern for them and could prompt them to launch a movement demanding the election be held under a neutral government. During an interview with BBC Bangla, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday that a neutral government would be needed if the current interim government fails to maintain its impartiality. "If representatives of these students are part of this government, neutrality cannot be maintained. If they think they can hold elections with their representatives in the government, political parties will not accept it," Fakhrul said. Read more: 12th parliamentary election: Polling centre set on fire in Feni Later, on Thursday, he categorically said the interim government is failing to maintain neutrality in certain matters. Contacted, BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said their party leaders and workers across the country are well aware of the election officers, presiding officers, and polling agents who assisted the Awami League in rigging votes and manipulating elections over the last 15 years. “We will provide the list of these controversial individuals to the Election Commission so that they are not involved in the next national election. If the government is serious about holding a free and fair election, the questionable people should be excluded from the voting process,” he said. Mosharraf said they are also focusing on further revitalising the BNP by forming expired committees for all units of the party and its associated bodies. “Party overhauling is a continuous process. We’re forming committees and bringing in new and capable leadership.” Replying to a question, he said their party demands a prompt election as it is well prepared for the polls. “The government should hold the election as early as possible in the interest of the country and its people, as various plots are underway to destabilise the country.” The BNP leader said they are closely monitoring the activities of the government, various political parties, and student leaders. “If any unfair move is made to delay or manipulate the election, we will come up with appropriate strategies to tackle it.” Read more: 12th parliamentary election will be competitive and fair, says CEC BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that if any political party is formed with state patronage, the credibility of the interim government will be lost. "It is acceptable if a new party is formed by others, especially those involved in the Anti-Discrimination movement, as we move towards democracy. But it should not be a King's party," he said.