Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said on Thursday that no election is above controversy and even the 12th parliamentary national election is not. "No election has gone beyond controversy. The election we are satisfied with has not gone beyond controversy," he said. The CEC made the remarks while addressing a thanksgiving event for holding the 12th parliamentary election in a fair and successful manner at the auditorium of Nirbachan Bhaban on Thursday. Russian Election Commission invites CEC Habibul Awal, others to observe presidential elections in the country He said that the recently held election was not very participatory as a major party not only boycotted the election but also wanted to prevent it from taking place. “The nation has finally been content as the election was held,” he said. Mentioning that both slander and bad name have to be taken, he said that it is not possible to make such a big job successful without the support of the government. “The nation has overcome the crisis through the election,” he said. Anyone can challenge the percentage of voter turnout: CEC The Election Commission does not get acceptance if the politicians do not have confidence, he said. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Md. Ahsan Habib Khan said, "I have been successful by working with faith. I can't go down from the standard I reached. We will show you how this commission works. It will be exemplary for the future.” Another Commissioner Anisur Rahman said they were firm that they would take their decision if they could not hold a free, fair and peaceful election. About the turnout of the voters, he said there would not be any confusion if the last briefing on the voting turnout was with three pieces of information at 3:30 pm. “If challenged, we can show it. This is the first time that an election investigation committee formed in every constituency has worked. The executive magistrates also did a good job,” he said. CEC estimates 40 per cent turnout in Sunday’s election, appreciates govt cooperation Highlighting the election process, commissioner Md Alamgir said they have successfully completed party registration, voter list, demarcation of constituencies, and recruitment of election officers, holding dialogue and observers’ registration. Chaired by EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam, other election commissioners spoke on the occasion.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has "categorically" said there is no pressure on the voters to go to vote centres to cast vote but pressure is seen regarding distribution of leaflets urging people not to go to vote centres. “There is no such pressure from the Election Commission, even he has no evidence of as such," Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen quoted the CEC as saying during a briefing arranged for the diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Thursday. Independent candidate for Sylhet-3 says election rally attacked by AL candidate's campaigners The CEC made remarks when one of the diplomats wanted to know his comments regarding pressure on voters to go to vote centres. The CEC, however, gave a counter reply mentioning distribution of leaflets by a political party (BNP) which is boycotting polls and urging people not to go to vote centres. The foreign secretary said over 50 diplomats and representatives from international organisations joined the briefing hosted by the Election Commission. Election 2024: Armed forces deployed across the country CEC Awal gave an update regarding preparations of January 7 polls which was followed by a question-and-answer session. The foreign secretary said such a opportunity is rare for the foreign diplomats as national election takes place in every five years. He hoped that the briefing will help the diplomats to let know their respective countries know about the election through their comprehensive reports. The diplomats remain in touch with the EC and they remain updated through frequent exchanges, Masud Momen said. Chuadanga-1: Jatiya Party candidate withdraws from election, alleging lack of cooperation from party The diplomats are kept fully informed and that is why there were not too many questions, he said. The foreign secretary said the international observers and journalists have started arriving in Dhaka. They can observer polls in Dhaka and other places across the country if they feel convenient, he said. The EC made sure that there is no deficit in terms of preparation to the polls successfully.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal is set to address the nation and announce the schedule for the upcoming general election at 7 pm today, the Election Commission has said. Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the CEC’s speech in the evening, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam said while briefing reporters this morning. Read: Unique Group, DNCC sign deal; Sheraton to run in full swing  Before announcing the polls schedule, a meeting will be held at the Election Commission at 5 pm today. The CEC will hold the 26th meeting of the Election Commission, said the EC secretary. The dates of nomination paper submission, evaluation, and withdrawal of candidature will be finalised at the meeting, he said. A three-tier security system has been set up at the Election Commission building on the occasion of the announcement of the next general election's schedule. Read: No scope left for dialogue now: Quader acknowledges receiving Donald Lu’s letter from Peter Haas  Apart from police, RAB and Ansar personnel have been deployed in front of the Election Commission building. Entry of visitors has been restricted inside the building. The CEC is going to announce the polls schedule amid the ongoing 48-hour blockade called by BNP, Jamaat and like-minded opposition parties to press home their one-point demand. The Election Commission is determined to hold the next general election within the stipulated time as per its constitutional obligation, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal had said earlier. Read: Films can be part of cultural revolution to beat back arson terrorism: Info Minister  The 11th national election was held on December 30, 2018. According to the constitution, the tenure of the current government will end on January 29, 2024. A total of 11,96,91,633 voters are expected to cast their votes at 42,103 polling centres across the country in the 12th general election of Bangladesh.  

The Election Commission has no option except holding election on time as per the constitution, Chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said today (October 31, 2023). “The EC has to hold the election on time, no matter what the situation is,” the CEC told journalists after his meeting with US Ambassador Peter Haas earlier today. Read: Haas meets CEC, hopes all sides will engage in dialogue without preconditions The CEC said the issue of favorable election environment and preparations for the upcoming national election were discussed during the meeting with the US ambassador. “We want all political parties to participate in the election. This, however, does not mean that the election will not be held if the environment is not favorable,” the CEC said. “Political parties have many options. They can either participate in or boycott the election, but the Election Commission does not have any such option,” he added. Read: CEC to meet president on Nov 5 regarding announcement of nat’l election schedule The CEC said, the US ambassador hoped for dialogue among the political parties. “We expressed the the same,” the CEC said. Problems will not be solved by demonstration of force on the streets. “He (US Ambassador Peter Haas) also believes that the problems should be solved through dialogue,” the Chief Election Commissioner said.

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday said their party expects nothing from current Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal as he is working as a ‘tool’ of the government. “The statements he (CEC) is making manifest that he’s thinking of putting (Awami League) in power though stealing (votes) like in the past. So, there is no reason to expect from him,” he told a seminar. Instead of focusing on the polls, the BNP leader also said the CEC has been making contradictory comments about the government’s assistance in holding the next general election. “What this man (CEC) is doing now is his job since he was put there as a tool of the fascist regime. His task is to put Sheikh Hasina in power again by stealing votes in the next election. What do you expect from him? You can't expect anything from them,” he observed. US pre-election monitoring team to meet BNP Monday The seminar titled 'Acceptable National Elections: Election-time Neutral Government, Structural Reforms and the Role of Major Stakeholders organized by NDM’s Think Tank, 'Governance and Policy Research-GPR), at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity Office. Professor AKM Waresul Karim presented the keynote at the programme. Khosru, a BNP standing committee member, also said no institution of the country, including the judiciary is now functional under the rule of the current regime. BNP announces fresh programme with renewed focus on Dhaka  He said all institutions are now serving the ‘fascist’ regime while the media outlets are being regulated. “The only way to get rid of this situation is to remove this regime through united efforts. This is not a single party's struggle as this is a struggle for the freedom of the country’s 18 crore people. Bangladesh became independent once through the Liberation War. It’s now the second liberation war for establishing democracy in the country,” the BNP leader said. Khosru alleged that the Awami League government annulled the polls-time non-party government system, which was added to the constitution based on national consensus, as part of its plan to hang onto power. "The cancellation of this provision by the court was unconstitutional and illegal.” BNP trashes Quader’s claim about ‘clandestine’ understating with US He said their party has already presented a 31-point proposal to restore democratic politics and build the country through various reforms after the fall of the current regime. The BNP leader said they their party wants the removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government to restore true democracy, human rights, the rule of law, press freedom, and freedom of expression and ensure a level playing field and equal rights of all. Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM chairman Bobby Hajjaj, BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and AB Party member secretary Mujibur Rahman Monju, among others, spoke at the seminar.  

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke on Sunday said her country is encouraging “free, fair, participatory and peaceful” elections in Bangladesh. She said fair elections will help Bangladeshi citizens exercise their democratic rights. Read:  UN expresses desire to see a fair, peaceful election in Bangladesh: Obaidul Quader  “We had a very constructive introductory discussion,” High Commissioner Cooke told reporters after her first meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and his team. She said they discussed the vital roles of strong democratic institutions, media, and civil society. The British high commissioner said they also discussed the role of independent observers during the election. Talking to reporters, the CEC said High Commissioner Cooke wanted to know the Election Commission’s efforts for ensuring that journalists can work freely. Read: UK keen to boost trade and investment with Bangladesh: Sarah Cooke tells PM Hasina He said the media raised the demand regarding the use of motorcycles.  The CEC said they were considering whether it would be misused or not.  Some — using muscle power— might create problems, taking advantage of motorcycle use. “Keeping that in mind, we made a provision,” said the CEC. Read: I’m committed to deepening Bangladesh-UK extensive cooperation: Sarah Cooke At the meeting, Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman and EC Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam were also present. Bangladesh Election Commission is taking preparations to hold the next national election in December this year or January next year.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal will hold a meeting with a Facebook delegation on Thursday (August 3, 2023), on preventing propaganda on social media. The meeting will be held at Election Commission building in Dhaka’s Agargaon at 11 am tomorrow. Read: Dialogue among political parties needed to resolve crisis: CEC tells US Ambassador When contacted, Election Commission (EC) Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said, the Facebook delegation sought time for the meeting. Asked about the reason behind the meeting, he said, “The national election is approaching. With that in mind, there can be a discussion on how to prevent propaganda on social media.” Read: US to send pre-election assessment and monitoring team in early Oct: Peter Haas Three officials from Facebook's Singapore office will meet the CEC. The delegation will be led by head of public policy for Bangladesh at Facebook's parent company Meta, Ruzan Sarwar, the EC official said.

Level playing field will be ensured in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election slated for June 12, said Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Tuesday. “All will get equal opportunities and the election will be free and fair. There will be no partisan election. We are using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the voting which has left no chance to change the election results. No one will be allowed to obstruct voters and curtail people’s rights to franchise,” he said. The CEC came up with the remarks while speaking at a view-exchange meeting over the KCC election at the auditorium of Khulna Shilpakala Academy. The election will be monitored through CCTV from the central office, he said. Expressing satisfaction over the Gazipur City Corporation election, the CEC said “We are working round the clock to ensure free and fair election and we’ll gift a fair election in Khulna.” He also urged all to abide by the electoral code of conduct. Kazi Habibul said local administration will take strict action against those who will violate the electoral code of conduct.    

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the Election Commission wants to hold a fair election in Barishal with coordinated effort. If someone breaks the rules during Barishal City Corporation elections, the candidates have to try to resist it. There will be a presiding officer to whom their polling agents will complain, said the CEC. “If the presiding officer neglects his duty, we will take strict action against him. You (candidates) also have to perform your duties well,” he said while addressing a meeting with Barishal City Corporation election candidates. The meeting was organized by the Returning Officer of the election at Barishal Shilpakala Academy hall on Saturday (May 27, 2023) evening. Also read: Barisal city polls: 7 mayoral candidates get symbols In the meeting, the CEC listened to various complaints of the candidates and took on board possible solutions and various suggestions. “Everyone should be awake on Election Day. I am not saying that the election will be held well just because of our efforts. You should try to do the same. It won't be a single attempt by law enforcement. There has to be a concerted effort,” he said. “Gazipur city election is an example of how the presiding officers will perform their duties properly. The presiding officers performed their duties fairly well. If we get complaints that voters could not go to the centre, could not vote, there were manstans in the centre, they resisted them, then our election will be questioned,” added the CEC. “The polling agents, you (candidates) will have to resist equally inside. If you show power and say I have to vote, then democracy has been destroyed. If elected, there will be no support from the people. So there will be a call that you will try to develop democracy in a healthy way,” the CEC said. Also read: Barishal City Polls: 10 Mayoral candidates submit nomination papers He also announced that all the polling stations in Barishal will have CCTV cameras, like Gazipur. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Md Ahsan Habib Khan and Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Jahangir Alam were present as special guests at the event.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal today said that the decision to use ballot paper in the upcoming 12th National Election has not been taken under any pressure. It is the Election Commission’s own decision. The CEC said this during a press briefing at the Election Building in Dhaka’s Agargaon. Saying that electronic voting machine (EVM) or ballot paper is not a major challenge to the election, the CEC observed that the main challenge is participation of all political parties. “It will be up to the Commission to ensure that all parties participate in the election. If all the parties participate in the election, it will be acceptable to people,” he also said. Also read: BNP was invited for informal meeting, not for dialogue: CEC The biggest challenge at the moment is to overcome the political crisis, he added. Saying “EVMs are more secure than ballots,” the Chief Election Commissioner said stopping rigging is easy with EVMs. But hundred percent fair voting is not possible either with ballots or EVM, he said. Rejecting the possibility of early election, CEC Habibul Awal said that preparations are being made according to the roadmap announced by the Election Commission. So, there is no question of early election.