United News of Bangladesh

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Wednesday reaffirmed their 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 the city. The briefing was arranged at a city hotel on the eve of the Referendum 2026 and 13th Parliamentary Election to be held on Thursday (Feb 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 from the very first day of his commission’s journey, they have prioritized 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.” 394 foreign observers, 197 foreign journalists to monitor Bangladesh  elections 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 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 finalized,” 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 centers. “Voting will take place in a single day beginning at 7:30am in the morning and concluding at 4:30pm in the afternoon,” 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 authorized 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.

The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday upheld the candidacy of BNP candidate Mohammad Aslam Chowdhury (Chattogram-4) and rejected the nominations of BNP candidate for Chattogram-2 Sarwar Alamgir and its Cumilla-10 candidate  Abdul Gofur Bhuiyan . The Election Commission rejected appeals from several banks seeking to cancel Aslam Chowdhury’s candidacy over alleged loan defaults. The Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, passed the order in the afternoon, hearing the petitions filed by Trust Bank, Bank Asia and Jamuna Bank. Aslam Chowdhury was a borrower from Trust Bank, while he was a guarantor over loans taken from two other banks. Cumilla-10 BNP candidate Gofur also loses candidacy Besides, BNP candidate for Chattogram-2 Sarwar Alamgir lost his candidacy following the hearing of an appeal petition by the Election Commission. The EC rejected the nomination of BNP candidate Sarwar Alamgir on the ground of loan default, accepting an appeal petition filed by his rival Jamaat candidate Nurul Amin in the same constituency. The Commission heard the petition and passed the order in the afternoon, declaring that Sarwar Alamgir’s nomination was cancelled. Earlier, the returning officer accepted his nomination declaring him as a valid candidate in the upcoming national election scheduled for February 12 next. BNP candidate for Cumilla-10 Abdul Gofur Bhuiyan  also lost his candidacy following the hearing of an appeal petition by the Election Commission. Chattogram-2 BNP candidate loses candidacy The EC rejected the nomination of the BNP candidate on grounds of dual citizenship, accepting an appeal petition filed by Sanskrit Muktijote candidate Kazi Nurse Alam Siddique in the same constituency. The Commission heard the petition and passed the order in the afternoon. The petitioner alleged that Gofur Bhuiyan is an US citizen and he holds an American passport. However, Gofur Bhuiyan or anyone on his behalf was not presented during the hearing Earlier, the returning officer accepted his nomination declaring him as a valid candidate in the upcoming national election scheduled for February 12 next. EC upholds BNP candidate Aslam Chy’s nomination in Ctg-4 The EC as the Electoral Appeal Tribunal on January 10 started hearing and disposal of the appeal petitions filed by aggrieved persons against the decisions of the returning officers over the acceptance and the cancellation of nomination papers. The Commission will settle all the 645 appeals by today (Sunday).

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday said that the next national election is likely to be held in the first half of February, as the Election Commission (EC) intensifies preparations across the country. Talking to reporters on Saturday afternoon following a meeting with the Rangpur divisional administration, the CEC said the Commission is actively coordinating with divisional and local election officials to ensure smooth holding of the polls. He warned that voting in any constituency will be suspended immediately if disorder breaks out at any polling centre. “No kind of chaos will be tolerated,” he said, adding that any official accused of irregularities, corruption, or bribery will be barred from election duties. The CEC also said that action will be taken against all presiding officers found responsible for misconduct during the previous election. Admitting that public trust in the electoral process has eroded, he acknowledged that an encouraging voter turnout remains a significant challenge. “Restoring confidence in the system and bringing people to the polling centres is a major task ahead,” he said. While the election schedule will not be announced yet, the CEC indicated that the date will be declared two months in advance. Election schedule likely in early December: Sanaullah Preparations are underway to hold the polls within a short timeline, he said. The Election Commission is working to ensure a credible election through the joint efforts of the Commission, presiding officers and the administration, aiming to restore the public's lost trust in the electoral process, the CEC said. Commenting on the overall security situation, he said the law-and-order situation is satisfactory. “We want to see it improve even further so that people can come to polling stations and vote peacefully without fear.” He said the voter apathy has become a serious concern. “People have forgotten to go to polling centres. On the election day, many choose to stay home, believing their votes won’t make a difference or that someone else will cast their vote. This kind of mindset has developed. Overcoming it is a major challenge for us, and we are actively working to change it.” Ensuring fair election now top priority: Prof Yunus He emphasised the importance of public awareness and sought the cooperation of journalists in this regard. “Creating awareness is crucial, and journalists have a key role to play. We seek their cooperation and welcome their advice.” About the challenges posed by misinformation and digital content, the CEC said the misuse of AI has become more dangerous than weapons. “It's a misuse of intelligence and a serious challenge. We don’t see professional journalists as a threat. In fact, we expect them to stand by us and help ensure a transparent election. But there are problems with untrained, unethical individuals who spread misinformation via Facebook and other platforms.” Some unethical content creators make misleading videos about me and the Chief Adviser. Many people watch these at night without verification and misunderstand the situation. CEC Nasir Uddin urged everyone not to share such content without checking its authenticity. He called for the media's support in combating misinformation and reiterated that the Commission is taking necessary steps to prevent the spread of harmful content. Next year’s election to mark major test for post-Hasina Bangladesh: Kugelman The CEC also said that people, including presiding and administrative officials, who were previously involved in misconduct during the past elections will be kept away from the upcoming polls. Expressing his firm commitment, he said the Election Commission will remain neutral, working neither for nor against any party, but for the country’s 180 million people. Highlighting the significance of voting, he added, “Voting is not only a civic responsibility, but also a moral and religious duty.” The CEC assured that maximum efforts are being made to ensure that the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election is conducted in a transparent, free, and fair manner. Earlier in the day, the CEC held a coordination meeting with the regional election officers of Rangpur, along with district and upazila ones, at the Regional Election Office, as part of the Commission’s groundwork for the 13th parliamentary election. Nasir Uddin is currently in Rangpur on a three-day visit to meet with election-related officials, including field administrators and law enforcement agencies, as part of the Election Commission’s preparations for the upcoming national polls.  

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday said the Election Commission’s initiatives to facilitate expatriate voting will prove ineffective without the active support of political parties. “We want to introduce a feasible option. We seek your support. Even on a small scale, we want to begin the journey…if political leaders do not support us, all our exercises will end in futility,” he said while inaugurating a seminar at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the morning. The Election Commission arranged the seminar on voting from abroad in a bid to find an effective mechanism to ensure the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis in the next general election. Political leaders from various parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), along with election experts, technical specialists and journalists, participated in the discussion. The commission aims to introduce a hybrid method in combination with postal ballot, online voting and proxy voting—at least on a limited scale during the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. When they took office, the CEC said, they pledged to introduce a voting system for expatriates. “We’re committed, and so is the chief adviser to the nation.” Making Expat Voters: What does Reform Commission say?