United News of Bangladesh

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is not a voter, but he could still become one if the Election Commission (EC) makes a decision in this regard, said Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Monday (December 01). “As far as I know, he is not a voter,” he said, replying to a question from reporters at a press briefing in the city's Nirbachan Bhaban. No legal barrier to Tarique Rahman’s return, says Law Adviser Responding to another question whether Tarique Rahman can contest elections without being a voter, he replied, “He can, if the Commission decides so.” When journalists asked under which legal provision such a decision could be made, Akhtar Ahmed said, “Please check the Electoral Rolls Voter Registration Act.” Then he was asked whether the possibility of being allowed to be a voter applies only to Tarique Rahman. In response, the EC Secretary said it can be applicable for anyone. “Why are you identifying one person individually? It could apply to you as well,” he said. Speaking about the voter list, Akhtar Ahmed said the persons who turned 18 by October 31, 2025, have been included in the voter rolls. Read more: Only Dr Zahid to brief media on Khaleda’s health: BNP “We’ve finalised the voter lists. At this stage, seven fields—name, father’s name, mother’s name, occupation, date of birth, voter address and photograph—cannot be changed,” he said. After the finalisation of the voter list, he said, the Commission may consider reopening these seven fields for corrections if a decision is taken to do so. The EC Secretary said after the finalisation of the voter lists, the NID correction option may be considered if the Commission takes a decision to do so. However, several things can still be corrected now, he said. Read more: No objection to Tarique’s return, says govt

The Election Commission on Thursday (November 27) provided law enforcement agencies with detailed deployment plans for engaging their personnel during the upcoming national election, expected to be held in early February 2026. “We’ve provided the outline of the deployment plan—now the respective forces will prepare the detailed version. Whether they will deploy their teams as static, reserve, or striking forces at the polling stations is entirely up to them. How many personnel will be deployed and for how many days—that will be determined by the Home Ministry,” EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said on Thursday. He said this while briefing reporters after the commission’s meeting with law enforcement agencies, including the armed forces, held at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. BD Election Security Plan: EC begins 2-phase talks with law enforcers Top representatives from three armed forces – Army, Navy and Air Force– as well as the Home Affairs Ministry, Police, RAB, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Ansar and VDP, the Armed Forces Division, DGFI, NSI, NTMC, SB and CID attended the meeting. The meeting was held with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the chair, focusing on the deployment of security personnel, maintaining the law and order during the election, providing the security to election officials, election materials and polling stations, recovery of illegal arms and removal of illegal campaign materials like posters. The EC Senior Secretary said the Commission does not have its own security force, rather it relies on the coordinated efforts of law enforcement agencies during the elections. “They (law enforcement agencies) have assured us that they will start working in the field from day one and will play an effective role,” he said. Responding to a question about the armed forces’ magistracy power, currently in effect, Akhtar Ahmed said the armed forces are now under the definition of law enforcement agencies. “Their (armed forces’s magistracy power will remain valid until February 2026,” he said. Bangladesh election: Voter registration in KSA, 6 other countries suspended When asked whether this magistracy power (with magistrates and the armed forces) might conflict with the legal framework after the announcement of the election schedule, he replied, “I don’t see anything contradictory here.” Raising the details of the deployment outline, he said the plan is divided into three major components - static deployment for security personnel to be stationed at polling stations; installation of both static and mobile checkposts at various points and deployment of patrolling teams depending on geographical locations and access roads; and forming a central reserve force “There will also be a central reserve force. So essentially, three components—static, mobile and central reserve. These will be prepared in advance based on the guidelines we’ve provided,” he said adding now the respective forces will design their arrangements. He said that what is conventionally referred to as the striking force will also fall under these three components, aimed at ensuring mobility, deterrence and effective response according to the situation. Bangladesh Election: Expat voters can register anytime from any region to vote “We will also utilise NTMC’s capabilities. Cybersecurity issues will be closely monitored,” said the EC Secretary. Talking further on the security plan, he said “Actually it is our strategic plan.”

The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday morning (November 27) started its second phase meeting with law enforcement agencies including armed forces in a bid to finalise the security men deployment strategy during the upcoming national election and referendum to be held in February 2026. The meeting began with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the chair at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Top representatives from three armed forces – Army, Navy and Air Force– as well as the Home Affairs Ministry, Police, RAB, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Ansar and VDP, the Armed Forces Division, DGFI, NSI, NTMC, SB and CID attended the meeting. Read more: Everything will be fine before the voting day: CEC over law and order The meeting is being held focusing on the deployment of security personnel, maintaining the law and order during the election, providing the security to election officials, election materials and polling stations, recovery of illegal arms and removal of illegal campaign materials like posters l. About the election-time security, CEC AMM Nasir Uddin at an event on Wednesday said the law and order situation will continue to improve and everything will be in order before the voting day. “It will improve gradually. As the polling day approaches, you will see everything will fall in line. Everything will be fine,” he told reporters, replying to a question after inspecting an election-related training and mock exercise organised by BGB at Pilkhana in the capital. The CEC said, “I won’t say the law and order situation has reached a perfect level. You saw what the situation was on August 5, 2024. Now compare it with the current situation….. So, it will improve further, gradually.” About the security meeting, he said the Election Commission will sit again with law enforcement agencies over specific proposals. “The development strategy will be finalised there,” he said. Nasir Uddin said law enforcement agencies are being deployed on the field with maximum preparedness to ensure a free, peaceful and neutral election. Read more: Motivate voters to go to polling stations: CEC to political leaders Earlier on October 20 last, the held its first security meeting with law enforcement agencies in a bid to conduct the 13th parliamentary election in free, participatory and fair manners. The Election Commission will also hold a coordination meeting with the heads of various ministries, departments and authorities on November 30 as part of the preparatory activities for the upcoming general election. The Cabinet Secretary, Bangladesh Bank Governor, Senior Secretaries of the Home Affairs Ministry, the Public Administration Ministry, the Shipping Ministry and the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, Foreign Secretary are among the 34 invitees for the coordination meeting on November 30. Earlier, the Election held dialogues with 47 registered political parties, including BNP, Jamaat and National Citizen Party-NCP on November 13, 16, 17 and 19 last. In late September 2025, the Commission opened a series of electoral dialogues with different stakeholders amid talks with civil society representatives on September 28. Later, the EC held separate dialogues with 47 registered political parties, including BNP, Jamaat and National Citizen Party-NCP, as well as the representatives of teachers, senior journalists from different media outlets, election experts and election observers. The Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule in early December for holding the next general election in early February 2026. Read more: Don’t hire politically linked election observers: CEC Nasir

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday called on local election observation organisations not to appoint any person involved in politics or any party as they are field-level observers to ensure their neutral role in the upcoming national election. “Please make sure that your people would be totally impartial,” he said while chairing a discussion with local election observer groups at Nirbachan Bhaban. The discussion began at 10:35am as part of the Commission’s ongoing dialogue with stakeholders ahead of the next national election, expected to be held in early February 2026. Election Commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarker and Brig Gen (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah were present. Commonwealth Secretary-General meets CEC, discusses election preparations The CEC said Bangladeshis are highly politically conscious, and therefore any observer who becomes politically involved during the election would ‘damage everything’. “Please check whether those you appoint have any political involvement or have any link and connection with any party. If they have participated in political programmes, processions or meetings, please do not appoint them,” he said. He said the Election Commission wants the observers as partners to deliver a fair and credible election to the nation. “We have promised the nation that we would deliver a fair, beautiful and credible election to the nation. The Election Commission alone cannot ensure this. We all must work together for it, he added. Pointing at the old observer organisations, the CEC said he does not want to revisit past controversies. “I don’t want to dig into the past. I always want to look ahead. Mistakes may have happened for various reasons. Let’s forget about it. Rather, we should take lessons from the past and move forward.” EC committed to neutral role for credible polls: CEC Nasir But he warned that the reputation of observer organisations would be at stake if their field-level staff fail to perform responsibly.  “Reports submitted by observers must be based on reality,” Nasir Uddin said. He said the organisations must take responsibility to monitor whether their field-level observers are reporting properly. “If any report comes that your observer is working in favour of a political party or influencing the process, this will be a great damage done to your reputation. So, please ensure they remain totally impartial,” he said. The CEC said the Commission’s sole agenda is to deliver a “credible, transparent and fair election.” Describing the observers and journalists as the CCTV cameras for the EC, he said “If they keep watch, no one will dare to commit irregularities. Your role is very important. You have a very important role to play.” He reminded organisations that observers must not engage in any election campaigning or influence the vote in any way. “Their duty is just to observe, not to intervene. If they see an irregularity, it is their duty to report it, not to intervene or stop it.” On Tuesday, the EC is holding two separate discussions—one with 40 observer organisations in the morning, and another with 41 organisations from 2:00pm. The EC is holding two discussions on Tuesday --The first discussion with 40 observer organisations, while the second one with 41 other organisations from 2:00pm. Besides, the Commission is going to sit in its second discussion with top representatives of law enforcement agencies, including the armed forces on November 27 and with the top government officials concerned on November 30 next. The meeting with the law enforcement agencies is likely to focus on the deployment of security personnel in every constituency including polling stations, their coordination among the law enforcement members and EC’s instructions to ensure security during the upcoming election. Earlier, the Election held dialogues with 47 registered political parties, including BNP, Jamaat and National Citizen Party-NCP on November 13, 16, 17 and 19 last. In late September 2025, the Commission opened a series of electoral dialogues with different stakeholders amid talks with civil society representatives on September 28. Later, the EC held separate dialogues with the representatives of teachers, senior journalists from different media outlets, election experts and election observers. The Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule in early December for holding the next general election in the first half of February 2026.  

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Wednesday (November 19) urged leaders of political parties to motivate the country’s voters to go to the polling stations during national election. “Over the last 10 to 15 years, our country’s voters have gradually become reluctant to go to the polling centres. You are the national leaders and political leaders. The people at the grassroots are directly influenced by you. I request you to motivate the voters to go to the centres,” he said while addressing a pre-election dialogue at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP) and several other political parties joined the discussion which began at 10:30am with the CEC in the chair. Pointing to the political parties, the Chief Election Commissioner said he expects them to play their due role in ensuring that their candidates fully comply with the electoral code of conduct in the upcoming national election. “You have a role to ensure that your candidates follow the code of conduct. We hope you to play this expected role,” he added. Read more: Bangladesh Election: CEC urges stakeholders to help ensure voter safety Nasir Uddin said the Election Commission with the help of the political parties and other stakeholders would deliver a good election for the nation. The Jamaat delegation led by its Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar participated in the talks while the NCP team led by its Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary attended it. The other invited political parties for the morning session are Ganosamhati Andolan, Nationalist Democratic Movement-NDM, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party-BMJP and Insaniat Biplab Bangladesh. The Commission is holding another discussion on Wednesday afternoon with BNP and five other parties. Read more: Home Adviser signals zero tolerance on unrest as election in February The five other invitees are Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP (Andaleev), Gonaodhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Republican Party-BRP and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Basad Marxist. The Election Commission opened its pre-election dialogue with registered political parties on November 13 last and has already held talks with 34 parties. Currently, there are 55 registered political parties, excluding the Awami League whose registration remains suspended.  The ongoing dialogue is considered as the last major task before the announcement of the national election schedule in early December. In late September 2025, the Commission opened a series of electoral dialogues with different stakeholders amid talks with civil society representatives on September 28. Later, the EC held separate dialogues with the representatives of teachers, senior journalists from different media outlets, election experts and election observers. Read more: Working with a clear commitment to create fair election atmosphere: CEC

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam, National Citizen Party (NCP) and other political parties joined the Election Commission’s dialogue on Wednesday morning (November 19) as part of its ongoing dialogue ahead of the next general election to be held in February 2026. The discussion began at 10:40am in the city's Nirbachan Bhaban with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the chair. The Jamaat delegation led by its Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar participated in the talks while the NCP team led by its Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary attended it. The other invited political parties for the morning session are Ganosamhati Andolan, Nationalist Democratic Movement-NDM, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party-BMJP and Insaniat Biplab Bangladesh. The Commission is holding two discussions on Wednesday – the morning session with seven parties and the afternoon session with six other political parties including BNP. Read more: Pre-election Dialogue: EC set to welcome Big Three parties on Wednesday The other invitees for the afternoon session include Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP (Andaleev), Gonaodhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Republican Party-BRP and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Basad Marxist.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Monday said the Election Commission has been working with a clear conviction and commitment to create a fair and beautiful electoral environment. “We will take all necessary preparations from our side to create a proper and nice election environment. We will keep trying. Our intention and commitment are absolutely clear. And we are working accordingly,” he said while chairing a pre-election dialogue with five political parties at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital this morning. The discussion was held with five political parties as part of the EC’s ongoing dialogue with registered political parties ahead of the 13th parliamentary election to be held in early February 2026. Later in the afternoon, the Commission sat with six other political parties on Monday. “No matter how many storms, cyclones or turmoil come, we will take every required step to ensure a fair and beautiful environment for the election,” the CEC said. Seeking cooperation from political parties for building a peaceful and proper electoral atmosphere, he said such cooperation is “very essential.” “Please influence your candidates and workers to follow the code of conduct. If we get your cooperation, it will make the enforcement process much easier for us,” Nasir Uddin said, pointing to political parties. Noting that the country belongs to all, the CEC said organising a proper election is a fundamental requirement for leaving behind a nice country for future generations. “If a beautiful election can elect representatives and the country can be entrusted to them, I think a bright future can be ensured for the nation. We seek your full cooperation and hope we will receive it,” he added. Referring to expatriate voting rights, the CEC said although postal ballots for expatriates have always existed in the law, no Election Commission in the past worked with this complex issue. “Postal balloting has always been in the law, but it was never practised. We have taken up this work,” he said. He said many new but “gigantic and complex tasks” have come to the present Commission. Despite many limitations, this Commission has not given up and continues to move forward like a sailor steering a storm-tossed ship through challenges. “InshaAllah, whatever challenges lie ahead, we are prepared to face them. We must move forward overcoming these challenges," he said. Addressing the afternoon discussion, the CEC said his commission has no flaws or lack of sincerity in its electoral preparation. "We’re facing all kinds of challenges with sincerity, patience and courage. We are ready to face all kinds of challenges that come in the future as well," he said. Describing the political parties as the major players in the electoral process, he sought the cooperation from the parties to ensure a friendly atmosphere before and even after the balloting. The five parties that participated in the morning session are Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote (Muktijote), Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Kalyan Party and Bangladesh Muslim League-BML. The six parties that participated in the afternoon session are Zaker Party, Amar Bangladesh Party-AB Party, Bangladesh Development Party, Bangladesh Islami Front, Khelafat Majlish and Jatiya Ganotantrik Party-Jagpa. The political leaders suggested the EC apply its authority strictly to ensure proper implementation of code of conduct and election-friendly atmosphere. Bikalpadhara Bangladesh Secretary General Major (Retd) Abdul Mannan said there is no precedent of revoking the candidature of a person nominated by a major political party for poll code violation. “So, it is important to ensure the strict application of the EC’s authority,” he said, adding that if a few candidatures are revoked for violating the code of conduct, then discipline will be created among the rest. Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim highlighted the need for social media monitoring and immediate action against violations of poll code. Bangladesh Muslim League (BML) President Sheikh Zulfikar Bulbul Chowdhury stressed creating a level-playing field and eliminating the influence of black money in the elections. Zaker Party Secretary General Shamim Haider urged the EC to ensure transparency and equal access for all parties in media coverage and law enforcement. Amar Bangladesh Party General Secretary ABM Fuad said the commission's rules, although targeting candidates and parties, do not focus enough on voters. He stressed the need for ensuring security during election campaigns, restrictions on government establishments and religious and educational institutions, and effective control over social and online media. Election commissioners Tahmida Ahmad, Anwarul Islam Sarker and Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah were present in the discussions. On November 13, the EC opened its pre-election dialogue with the political parties and already held talks with a total of 34 ones out of 53 registered political parties on the first three days of the electoral dialogue.  

The number of registered voters in Bangladesh has reached approximately 12.76 crore, according to the draft updated electoral rolls released by the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday. The total number of the country’s voters is 12,76,12,384. Of them, 6,47,60,382 are male, 6,28,50,772 are female, and 1,230 are from the third gender voters, said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told a press briefing at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Final voter lists to be published Nov 18 The draft electoral rolls will be finalised on November 18 ahead of the 13th parliamentary election by receiving and settling complaints, if any, over the draft list. The EC secretary said the number of voters increased by 13,04,880 between September 1, 2025 and October 31, 2025. The number of male voters is 19,09,610 higher than that of female voters in the country’s electoral rolls. “Those who turned 18 by October 31 last and completed their registration have been included in the voter lists,” he said. EC launches NID, voter registration services for Bangladeshis in Canada The EC will receive any objection and recommendation over the draft electoral rolls by November 17 and release the final lists ahead of the next general election to be held in early February 2026. Earlier, on August 31, the EC had released a supplementary voter list showing 12,63,07,504 total voters, including 6,41,00,455 males, 6,22,05,819 females, and 1,230 third-gender voters.

National Citizen Party-NCP started staging demonstrations in front of Nirbachan Bhaban demanding reconstitution of the Election Commission and arrangement of local government elections. The NCP Dhaka city unit arranged the demonstrations against the AMM Nasir Uddin-led current Election Commission. The demonstration began at 12:00pm in the city's Agargaon area. The NCP leaders alleged that this Commission was constituted hastily before the reform initiatives were implemented. “This Commission has already lost its neutrality,” said NCP Gulshan Thana unit leader Nur Islam Jewel. BNP’s Salahuddin accuses interim govt of siding with NCP  

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Saturday explained the reasons behind the low turnout of voters in the by-elections to Dhaka-5 and Naogaon-6 constituencies saying that there was no chance for the change in the government with the by-elections.