United News of Bangladesh

BNP on Thursday (December 04) placed three new election-related proposals before the Election Commission (EC) and said it has no objection to the EC announcing the election schedule in time. A three-member BNP delegation led by Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the EC headquarters in Agargaon. Talking to reporters after the nearly 90-minute meeting, Nazrul said BNP is not in favour the deferment of the national election unless there are unavoidable circumstances. “Therefore, BNP has no objection if the EC declares the poll schedule within its stipulated timeline.” BNP announces 36 more possible candidates for national election  Asked whether Khaleda Zia’s illness might affect the election, Nazrul said, “We expect she will recover and return to us soon, and be able to participate in election-related activities.” Regarding Tarique Rahman’s voter status, he said, “He is a Bangladeshi citizen. There is no barrier to him becoming a voter. The Commission can enrol him anytime it wishes.” Nazrul said the BNP proposed increasing the number of polling booths, marking places, and ballot seals for the upcoming 13th national election. “We want every voter in the country to have the opportunity to cast their vote. The number of voters has increased significantly compared to the previous election, so we made this proposal. This time, a national referendum will be held alongside the parliamentary election, which will add additional pressure. The Commission will give its decision on Sunday,” he said. BNP also urged the EC to allow expatriate Bangladeshis without National ID cards to register as voters using their passports. “If needed, the Commission can verify passports. Many expatriates do not have NIDs. They should be given the opportunity to register with their passports,” Nazrul noted. Khaleda led from the streets, not from palaces: Moyeen Khan To ensure transparency in the election, BNP reiterated its objection to printing ballot papers at any non-government institution. “At present, ballot papers are printed at three government facilities. BNP insists that no private institution be given this responsibility,” he said. The other members of the BNP delegation were Ismail Jabiuallah, member of the party’s EC-related committee and former secretary, and Md Zakaria, former election commissioner and BNP EC-related committee member. BNP to shift investment focus from megaprojects to grassroots: Amir Khosru

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Monday (3rd November 2025) said the country’s transition from the current critical time depends on the next parliamentary election. “Bangladesh now stands at a very critical moment. Which direction we will move towards as a nation and as a country and how we will walk along the path of democracy -- these things depend on the next election,” he said after inspecting a training programme of Ansar-VDP members in the city’s Bhatara area. The programme was held as part of a nationwide mock drill on polling centre security for the upcoming national election and the 4th phase of the 2025–26 basic training for Ansar members. Nasir Uddin said he is not only the Chief Election Commissioner, but also a citizen of Bangladesh. “As a citizen of Bangladesh, I also have a responsibility. What or what kind of Bangladesh we should leave for the future or in what position we should keep Bangladesh -- these thoughts keep me thinking all the time,” he said. Read more: Working seriously to fight abuse of AI, social media during election: CEC Describing the mock drill as a ‘comforting’ sign for polling centre security, the CEC called upon the Ansar and VDP members to utilise their extensive grassroots network to counter misinformation and propaganda during the election. Terming the ongoing training an ‘investment’, he said, “The Ansar-VDP force will carry one of the biggest responsibilities in the coming election. Training is an investment — the more they train, the more confident and efficient they will become in performing their duties.” The CEC warned that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to spread false information on social media. “Do not share anything without verifying it. Ansar members can play a crucial role in raising this awareness at the grassroots level,” he said. Highlighting new voting facilities, Nasir Uddin said this time even polling officials and staff engaged in election duties will be able to cast their votes. Read more: EC making strong progress to ensure free elections: CEC “To make this possible, the EC will launch a ‘Postal Voting App’ on November 16, through which officials on duty can register to vote via postal ballot,” he said. The CEC also said the Commission is taking a special step to ensure voting rights for expatriate Bangladeshis and citizens under legal custody (detainees in jails). He expressed the hope that trained Ansar-VDP members would perform their duties with responsibility and play a vital role in the country’s journey towards democracy. Ansar and VDP Director General Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud also spoke at the function. Read more: Bangladesh voter count hits 12.76 crore

The BNP on Thursday called on the Election Commission to ensure that controversial government officials who were involved in conducting the past three ‘farcical’ elections are kept away from any role in the forthcoming national election.  “Particularly, officials who are controversial or whose roles have been questioned must not be allowed to participate in or influence the forthcoming election process in any manner. The Election Commission must remain extremely vigilant in this regard,” BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan told reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. He was leading a three-member BNP delegation during the meeting from 11am to 12:40pm at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city  Dr Moyeen Khan said the last three elections were farcical and the government officials who conducted the elections on behalf of the Election Commission on the polling days made these polls so. BNP to meet CEC Thursday to raise concerns over EC’s neutrality “It is not realistic to expect that those whose character was assassinated by the autocratic Awami League over the past 15 years will be corrected in 15 months. So, the Election Commission must stay alert about it,” he said. Dr Moyeen said it is also a reality that the Commission does not have its own manpower of ten lakh to conduct the election. “This is a very crucial matter. Though the Election Commission is already aware of this, we are here to make them aware of it again,” he said. Replying to a question, the BNP leader said his party wants that the referendum on the July National Charter 2025 shall be held on the national election-day simultaneously. Two other BNP delegation members were BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Ismail Zabiullah and former acting secretary of the Election Commission Dr Mohammed Jakari. Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker was also present at the meeting.    

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Wednesday reaffirmed that the Election Commission will not bow to any pressure in its commitment to ensuring free and fair elections. “The Election Commission will not bend to any pressure,” he said while addressing a training event for Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) in the city. The CEC asked the UNOs not to bow down to any pressure rather remain firm on their decisions completely as per the law. “You shall not bend to any pressure as well. Stand firmly on your decisions completely in line with the laws. We’ll provide all-out cooperation to you,” he said. The event titled Training of Trainers (TOT) over polls management was held with participation of 50 UNOs at the Electoral Training Institute (ETI) in the Agargaon area ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election planned to be held in early February 2026. Election schedule to be unveiled in early December: CEC Focusing on the importance of adherence to the law, the CEC said, “We will not issue any unlawful or unjust orders. We will issue instructions that are fully in accordance with the laws, and you must implement them accordingly.” “We expect you to act fairly, legally, neutrally, professionally, and to discharge or discharge,” said Nasir Uddin. He stressed the need for cultivating the culture of respect for the laws, he said the more a nation respects the law, the more civilized that nation is. “We must cultivate this culture of lawfulness. We want everyone, at all levels, to follow the laws and establish respect for the laws,” he added. Putting emphasis on maintaining proper coordination by the UNOs at the Upazila level during the election, the CEC said coordination is a big thing during elections. CEC asks for realistic measures to prevent AI misuse “This is because you are at the upazila level and the responsibility of coordination mainly depends on you. Those who are UNOs, you do the coordination at the upazila level. Therefore, this coordination is very important during elections as well,” he said. The CEC asked the UNOs and magistrates who lead the mobile courts to check electoral violence and irregularities timely. “You must ensure that you won’t turn up at the spots after everything is over or snatching away the ballot boxes at home following violence and occupying the polling stations,” Nasir Uddin said. He highlighted the need for well-trained subordinates under the UNOs for the sake of conducting a fair and credible election. “You will make efforts to ensure that your subordinates are trained through you and can deliver a fair and credible election,” said the CEC. All four election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Md Anwarul Islam Sarker and Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah spoke at the function presided over by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Friday said they want 100 percent neutral behaviour from the election officials in the upcoming national election, which is going to be the most risky one. “..this Commission's bottom line is professionalism and neutrality. You must send out this message,” he said pointing at the participants of an election training programme in the city. The CEC said this while inaugurating the two-day training for core trainers at the Electoral Training Institute (ETI) in Agargaon on the occasion of the 13th parliamentary election. Some 80 core trainers are participating in the two-day training programme, who will later provide training to TOTs (Trainers of Trainers) ahead of the upcoming national election to be held before next Ramadan in February 2026. Pointing at the election officials, the CEC said, “We want 100 percent neutral behaviour.” The CEC asked them to be ready to face new challenges like to check abuse of social media, misinformation and disinformation alongside the law and order challenge in the upcoming election. Noting that the education of this training is morality, he asked the participants to uphold the morality always. Doubts remain in public mind over next election: Gayeshwar Election Commission Abdur Rahmanel Masud stressed the need for performing the election duty by the officials following the constitution and the electoral laws. He said there is no scope to discharge election duty beyond the laws and the constitution. “Whether I can carry out the responsibility entrusted to me properly in line with the laws, which could be the only thing that should be the matter of our consideration,” he said pointing at the election officials. “There is no alternative to holding a fair election this time,” he added. Next election to be most risky: Anwar Islam Sarker Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker warned the election officials that the next general election would be the most risky compared to any election in the past. So, there is no alternative way or second option to overcome this challenge of holding a fair election, he said. “The slogan of the upcoming election can be: 'Presiding officers will be the nucleus of the election',” he said, adding that some 50,000 presiding officers will be required for the election, who should be inspired to play key roles for holding a fair election. “We must be firmly committed that we have to hold a good election,” he said. December cut-off time for next election: Khosru    Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah said the Election Commission for the first time is going to ensure the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis in the upcoming national election. “We hope this time there will be a significant turnout of expatriate voters…A huge enthusiasm is being seen among them to exercise their voting rights,” he said. Election Commissioner Tahmida Ahmad said the 80 participants are the masters of 5,000-6,000 TOTs who will later train some 10,00,000 polling officers for the next election. EC senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed presided over the inaugural event, while ETI Director General SM Asaduzzaman delivered the welcome speech.

Ambassador and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Bangladesh Michael Miller on Tuesday announced that the EU will provide a support package of 4 million euros to help Bangladesh conduct elections in line with international standards, emphasising their desire for the polls to be free, fair and highly credible. “I came here today to announce that the European Union will provide a support package in excess of 4 million euros to help Bangladesh run elections in line with international standards,” he said while talking to reporters after leading a six-member EU delegation in a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the latter's Nirbachan Bhaban office. Michael Miller said the European Union is here working in partnership with Bangladesh in support of a transition that will lead up to democratic elections. “We are heading towards a timeline of early 2026,” he said. Replying to a question about the election environment in Bangladesh, the EU Ambassador said what they are discussing now is the very practical steps that need to be taken immediately in the coming weeks and months in order to ensure the credibility of these elections. “And that is why we are here mobilising our expertise now. Because we actually want your elections to be very credible and held in line with international standards and of course free and fair,” he said. Miller said he was accompanied not only by the European Union delegation colleagues but also by the European Partnership for Democracy and they are implementing partners, electoral experts who will be here to ensure that there is a strong focus on citizen observation in the coming elections. Besides, the EU has a focus on voter education in Bangladesh as the European Union is determined to empower its partner in Bangladesh and of course the election commission as it conducts these elections. Local govt elections essential to ensure acceptable public services during national polls: Speakers He mentioned that the EU will also support the Bangladesh election commission directly in terms of capacity building and expert input including in the fields of operational planning and dispute resolution to give examples. “Our focus here on the conduct of elections as in other areas of our work in Bangladesh will be on ensuring the independence and the efficiency and the accountability of the institutions here,” Miller added. Miller said the European Union considers Bangladesh a priority for a potential EU election observation mission. “So, this is something that we will continue to discuss with the interim government and the election commission in the coming months,” he said. Replying to another question, Michael Miller said a team of EU technical experts will come to Bangladesh next month to consider whether the context is right for the EU to deploy an election observation mission here in Bangladesh. “So, we are looking at feasibility and we are looking at the advisability but what I can tell you is that politically Bangladesh is a priority for the European Union when it comes to the deployment of an election observation mission,” he said. In response to another question, the EU envoy said he thinks there are a number of issues that need to be addressed because Bangladesh is in the middle of a very profound political transition. Obviously, when it comes to the elections, Bangladesh does have long-standing experience of running democratic elections, but more recently, of course, those elections have been highly questionable in terms of the conduct and the results, Miller said. ‘Our overall focus on national polls, not any other polls’, says EC Sanaullah “Now, what we see here is the need to ensure that your voters, especially your young voters who may never have participated in an election, that they have sufficient education to be able to exercise their democratic right,” the EU ambassador said. “We have to be sure that you have the capacity in your administration to counter disinformation and misinformation. And of course that's not just a problem here, but it's a problem everywhere. So on all of these issues, we will be working there. We are at the stage now of identifying how we can best help,” he added. Talking about a new EU-funded project, the EU ambassador said the EU will work on voter education, ensuring that domestic observer organizations have the capacity to deploy in the field. Besides, the EU will work with the Bangladesh election commission and work also with smaller civil society organizations in Bangladesh that are specialized in digital rights and countering misinformation. Those afraid of elections should join NGOs, not politics: Amir Khosru Other members of the delegation were Sebastian Riger-Brown, First Secretary (Political) of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh; Enrico Lorenzon, First Secretary and Team Leader for Inclusive Governance; Tanja Nader, Programme Manager for Inclusive Governance; Michael Lidauer, Senior International Advisor, EPD; and Anas Wibawa, Project Director for the Citizen Election Observers Component, EPD, at the EU Delegation to Bangladesh.

The roadmap for the upcoming national election will be announced next week, Election Commission Senior Secretary Md Akhtar Ahmed said on Thursday. “We have discussed the election roadmap. We hope that we’ll be able to unveil the election roadmap by next week,” he told reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. EC to announce election roadmap in due time: Adviser Asif The roadmap will give a clear idea about the preparations for the polls, said the EC Secretary.Replying to a question, he said the roadmap is expected to outline major electoral preparation and their timeframes, including schedules for dialogues with civil society members and journalists, timelines for amendments and reforms to existing electoral laws. 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 and the Election Commission (EC) intensified its preparations across the country. Akhtar Ahmed said the EC has received 318 applications from observer organisations, which are now under review. Regarding registration of new political parties, he said the verification of documents submitted by 22 parties is underway and their documents will be to the field offices to verify their authenticity. About the out-of-country voting (OCV) facilities for expatriate Bangladeshis, the secretary said there was a discussion on Thursday on what the process would be and what time would need for the OCV. “We discussed what the process will be, where, and which methods will need to be covered. Some discussion still remains. After finalising the matter, we will brief you regularly,” he added.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday said there was no discussion on the election date during a recent meeting with the Chief Adviser, although they did talk about preparations for the upcoming national election. “No discussion was held on the election date. You will get to know about the election date and schedule from the Election Commission (in time),” he said while replying to a question from reporters at his office in the capital. The CEC said the Chief Adviser wanted to know whether the Election Commission was ready to hold a free, fair and credible election. Mentioning that the Chief Adviser is very sincere about a democratic transition and holding a neutral and credible election, Nasir Uddin said, “Our wavelength matched with his. We are on the same wavelength when it comes to ensuring a free, fair and credible election.” On the EC’s preparation, the CEC said, “We are preparing in full gear... amidst various challenges we are moving ahead with preparations.” About the meeting held on Thursday last between the CEC and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Nasir Uddin said it was a courtesy call. It was his first formal meeting with the Chief Adviser, he said. Asked whether it was the Chief Adviser who invited him or if he had sought the appointment for the meeting, Nasir Uddin said, “Since taking office, I had not held any formal meeting with him (before this one).” BNP seeks polls timeline after Prof Yunus-CEC meeting: Rizvi In response to speculation surrounding his two-day absence from office, Nasir Uddin clarified that he was sick and had been admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) since Friday. He said no one should be guided by assumptions. “Some said I was resigning, others claimed I was sick — all based on speculations,” he lamented. Referring to comments made in a television talk show that the CEC should not have met the head of government to maintain neutrality, he said, “The Chief Adviser is neutral, and so am I.” He noted that during political governments, the CEC typically does not communicate directly with the head of government. Asked about which election the EC is currently preparing for, the CEC replied, “Right now our focus is on the national election because the Chief Adviser is not talking about local elections. His commitment — both at home and abroad — is to hold a national election. We are moving ahead with preparation according to his commitment.” Regarding the National Citizen Party’s (NCP) demand for the current EC’s reconstitution, the CEC said, “I don’t want to comment. Political parties can express their views.” In reply to another question, he reiterated that there was no discussion on a tentative timeframe for the parliamentary polls during the meeting with the Chief Adviser. “We are preparing to hold the election as early as possible, so that we can hold it whenever the government decides,” he said. About the possible timelines, the CEC said February was mentioned in London and before that April was mentioned. “We are preparing with those two timeframes in mind.” When asked about his comment as the current CEC to the fact that two former Chief Election Commissioners are now behind bars, he said, “I don’t want to make any comment over a sub-judice matter.

The Election Commission (EC) has ramped up its preparations for the upcoming national election, following a recent high-level meeting in London with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. The EC has instructed its officials to promptly complete all necessary tasks so the commission remains ready to deliver the election whenever it is held. Preparations are now underway in full swing, covering updates to the electoral roll, delimitation of constituencies, renovation and repair of potential polling stations, registration of new political parties and revisions to various electoral laws and policies. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday said the EC must be prepared regardless of the election’s timing. “We are now focusing on our preparations. We must be ready to deliver the election, no matter when it is held,” he told reporters. The CEC added that significant progress has already been made regarding preparatory tasks for the upcoming election. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, during a meeting with the Chief Adviser in London on 13 June, proposed that the next general election be held before the start of Ramadan 2026. In response, the Chief Adviser said he had already announced that the election would be held in early April next year. If all preparations are completed, it may even be possible to hold the election in the week before Ramadan in 2026. In that case, sufficient progress would need to be made by then regarding reforms and the trial, said Prof Yunus. During an Eid greetings event on Sunday last, the CEC urged EC officials to begin work in full swing and discharge their duties with neutrality and in accordance with the law. He said the election schedule is usually announced 55–60 days prior to polling day, and this time too, it will be announced roughly two months in advance. Voter List Update The CEC said field-level data collection for possible voters will be completed by 30 June so that the voter list is ready when the schedule is announced. He said they are considering changes to the voter registration law to allow youths who will be eligible before the election schedule is announced to vote in the next general election. Delimitation of constituencies The EC has begun drafting new boundaries for a number of constituencies, with a primary focus on administrative integrity, alongside considerations of population size, voter numbers and geographical integrity. The commission will soon finalise the draft re-demarcation and publish it to receive and address any complaints. Once resolved, the delimitation will be finalised. Reached a national consensus to hold general election in Feb: Khosru More than 600 applications have been submitted, seeking changes to at least 75 constituencies, with nearly 90% requesting a return to the 2001 boundaries. But, officials said changes will be considered only if the applications have strong merit, and the commission will not touch constituencies where there is no demand for change. Registration of Political Parties On March 10, the EC invited applications from new political parties seeking registration by 20 April. A total of 65 parties applied within the deadline. The commission later extended the deadline until June 22. New political parties are registered under Article 90A of the Representation of the People Order, 1972. If a party is registered with the EC, it can contest the national election with its own electoral symbol. EC officials said the deadline is unlikely to be extended further due to time constraints before the election. They said scrutiny of the applications has already begun to complete the registration process swiftly. Law and Policy Amendment On March 19, the EC approved policies for election observers, foreign observers, and journalists, but has not yet issued them. A meeting on May 21 approved the policy on polling station installation and management, but returned the draft code of conduct for political parties and candidates for further revision. Following the London meeting, the EC has emphasised the need to complete these amendments promptly. Prof Yunus’ London visit very successful: Acting Foreign Secretary The Commission met again on Monday to review the draft code of conduct and plans to publish the revised rules and policies on its website for public feedback. Besides, the EC Secretariat has been directed to take steps to restore the authority of the commission—and that of presiding officers—to halt voting when necessary, through amendments to the Representation of the People Order, 1972. Election officials have also been asked to present a training plan for electoral officers and to prepare a manual for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election. Possible Polling Stations The EC has requested the government to provide progress reports on the repair and renovation of polling stations likely to be used in the upcoming parliamentary elections. On Monday, the EC sent an urgent letter to six government officials, asking them to submit updates on repair and renovation works by July 17. The six officials are the senior secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, the secretaries of the Primary and Mass Education Ministry, the Technical and Madrasah Education Division, and the LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry, as well as the chief engineers of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and the Education Engineering Department (EED). Some educational institutions used as polling stations in the last general election, or likely to be used in the next, currently lack boundary walls or have damaged doors and windows. The EC had earlier instructed the relevant ministries and divisions to carry out minor repairs using their own funds. There were more than 44,000 polling stations in the 12th Parliamentary Election (held in January 2024), over 40,000 in the 11th election (December 2018), and nearly 38,000 in the 10th election (January 2014). National election: EC seeks progress reports on polling station repairs EC Additional Secretary KM Ali Newaz told UNB on Tuesday that the commission is set to complete data collection of potential voters by 30 June as part of its ongoing preparations. He added that all other preparatory work, including amendments to various electoral laws, is continuing in full swing.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday said the Election Commission wants to end the people's deprivation in exercising their voting rights. “We want to remove the fact that they(people) have been deprived of the voting right for so long. We want to remove the pain of their deprivation. We are steadfast in our commitment,” he said. The CEC said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a training of trainers for the enumerators and supervisors in the capital ahead of the voter list updating programme-2025. The countrywide door-to-door data collection of the possible voters and dead voters will start on January 20 next. The CEC said they are here to hear the 18 crore people who have been suffering from the deprivation of voting rights. “We’ve taken the responsibility so that we can remove their deprivation,” he said. Read: “We aim to deliver a truly credible election”: CEC He said his commission’s main goal is to arrange a fair and credible election. “It’s a marathon race beginning from today up to the delivery of the result,” he said. “Our goal, commitment and promises to the nation is to present a free, fair and credible election as the nation has been deprived of it for so long,” said the CEC. Four election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarker and Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah also spoke at the event presided over by EC secretary Akhtar Ahmed.