UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis on Tuesday said they will meet every political party that they can think of in Bangladesh as the need assessment process begins in terms of UN's technical support to the Election Commission ahead of the next parliamentary elections. "As many as possible...they (need assessment mission) will meet every political party we can think of in Bangladesh," she said while responding to a question after the need assessment mission's meeting with Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UNRC said her colleagues will assess what makes sense in terms of what the UN can offer as the Election Commission wrote to the UN requesting technical support. Lewis also made it clear that they are talking about parliamentary elections, not the local government elections, as the EC's request for technical support came for the national election. Asked about BNP’s desire to have elections by the middle of this year (by August), the UNRC said that is really a decision to be taken by political parties and the government. “We are not touching on timelines…that’s really a decision of the government of Prof Yunus and political parties to make.” Dr Yunus urges quick solution to KEPZ land rights issue Lewis said her colleagues are on a mission here at the request of the Bangladesh Election Commission which wrote the UN asking technical support for the upcoming elections. The need assessment mission is looking into areas where the UN can support and the election environment. During their meeting at the Election Commission earlier in the day, the EC came up with a list of support requests, said the UNRC. She said the team will be in Chattogram on Wednesday and they will have various meetings with the stakeholders in the coming days followed by a feedback session with the Election Commission. After coming back from Chattogram, they will meet civil society, academia, political parties and every stakeholder who will be involved in the election, said the UNRC, adding that they will have a very busy schedule within the 10 days of their engagements.      The need assessment process will be completed within 10 days following talks with the Commission and other stakeholders, including civil society, academicians and political parties. A UNDP delegation, accompanied by a need assessment mission came from New York, first met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and then four election commissioners and EC officials at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. Based on the talks with stakeholders, there will be some recommendations made by the election commission over what technical support the UN could provide, said the UN resident coordinator. She said the UNDP may extend assistance for a wide range of issues, including capacity development, technology support, help over misinformation and disinformation. Noting that the door-to-door works are going to start to update the electoral rolls, she said some technologies might be needed there. Gwyn Lewis said the EC has made a request for technical support for different aspects of the works ranging from IT capacity development; help with misinformation and disinformation and a wide range of issues. Bangladesh seeks balanced trade with Malaysia: Commerce Adviser “The (need assessment) mission will finish it within 10 days and will come back here to present it before the EC,” she said. EC senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the commission sought assistance from the UNDP for the election process. The assistance is related to technology --hardware and software—, training for capacity building, development of communication materials and other issues, he said, adding that the delegation came here to review the needs. “They have talked to us and will talk to other stakeholders.  They will come back to us with a proposal over the needs within 10 days,” he said.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has started assessing the needs to provide assistance to the Election Commission to hold the next parliamentary elections. The UNDP will complete the need assessment within 10 days following talks with the Commission and other stakeholders, including civil society, academicians and political parties. “The Election Commission sent the United Nations a letter requesting assistance before the UN could provide technical assistances to the Bangladesh Election Commission. We need to do need assessment,” said United Nations Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis in Bangladesh after a meeting with the EC on Tuesday. A UNDP delegation, accompanied by a need assessment mission came from New York, first met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and then four election commissioners and EC officials at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. Based on the talks with stakeholders, there will be some recommendations made the election commission over what technical supports the UN could provide, said the UN resident coordinator. She said the UNDP may extend assistance for a wide range of issues, including capacity development, technology support, help over misinformation and disinformation. Replying to a question, she said, “We’re really on the first days and trying to understand what the needs of the Election Commission are and understand how the Election Commission like to run the elections and there are already works in terms of updating the electoral rolls.” Govt demands clarification from UN on Rohingya exodus report Noting that the door-to-door works are going to start to update the electoral rolls, she said some technologies might be need there. Gwyn Lewis said the EC has made a request for technical supports for different aspects of the works ranging from IT capacity development, help with misinformation and disinformation and wide range of issues. “The (need assessment) mission will finish it within 10 days and will come back here to present it before the EC,” she said. EC senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the commission sought assistance from the UNDP for the election process. The assistance is related to technology --hardware and software—, training for capacity building, development of communication materials and other issues, he said adding that the delegation came here to review the needs. “They have talked to us and will talk to other stakeholders.  They will come back to us with a proposal over the needs within 10 days,” he said. Denmark, AUW to promote women´s climate leadership Replying to a question about the timeframe of the next general election, the EC Secretary said the CEC and other election commissioners said that they were working in line with the window given by the Chief Adviser. Citing an example, Akhtar Ahmed said the UNDP would not assist to collect data during the door-to-door campaign rather help to process data to update the electoral rolls.

The Election Commission has asked all the officials and employees who are working in Nirbachan Bhaban to update their personal data sheets (PDS) for vetting the data by the intelligence agencies. The commission issued a circular on Tuesday instructing all the officials and employees concerned to update their respective PDS by January 12 next. The initiative was taken on the security grounds of Nirbachan Bhaban, a Key Point Installation (KPI), as per a recommendation that information of all the officials and employees employed in the sensitive areas should be vetted by NSI or Special Branch (SB) of Police once a year.  Now the officials and employees concerned will need to provide the names of their parents, designation, present address and permanent address, national identity number and mobile number in specific formats to update their PDS. 2024: A year of mass uprising that reshaped Bangladesh’s Election Commission All the concerned were instructed to update the PDS by the date (January 12). Otherwise, the authorities will not be responsible if any obstacle arises in entering the Nirbachan Bhaban, said the circular signed by EC’s assistant secretary Mohammad Shahidur Rahman.

Some 1.8 million new voters have been included in the draft electoral rolls published by the Election Commission on Thursday, raising the total number of voters in the country to 123.7 million. Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah unveiled the updated draft voter list at a press conference here in the city. Among the 1,833,352 newly registered voters, 1,185,516 males, 647,774 females and 62 transgender persons were included in the draft list. The Election Commission will release the final updated electoral rolls on March 02, 2025 (the voter day) after resolving complaints on the draft list, if any. Read: BNP reveals 10-point proposal for electoral reforms; wants tech-aided upgrade of voter list With the inclusion of the new voters, the total number of the country's voters would be 123,683,512. Among them, 63,330,103 are males, 60,352,515 are females and 994 are transgender persons. The previous final voter list, published on March 2, 2024, recorded a total of 121,850,160 (121.8 million) voters, including 62,144,587 males, 59,704,641 females and 932 transgender persons in the country. Read more: Final voter list to be published on Mar 2: EC As per the Voter List Act, 2009 the EC needs to publish the draft voter list annually on January 2 to receive and settle complaints and the final electoral rolls on March 02 each year. About the draft voter lists, any claim, objection or application for correction can be placed till January 17 next. Then the commission will resolve the objections or applications by January 30. Besides, the Election Commission will start the door-to-door data collection campaign on January 20 next to update the voter lists further ahead of the next national election.

Despite setting December 31, 2024 for submitting reports, none of the six reform commissions—on the Constitution, election, judiciary, anti-corruption commission (ACC), police and public administration—has submitted their reports yet. According to the Cabinet Division, the commissions have extended their deadlines. 2024: A year of mass uprising that reshaped Bangladesh’s Election Commission Member of the Police Reform Commission Abu Momtaz Saad Uddin Ahmed said that the Cabinet Division has extended their deadline until January 15, 2025, by which they will submit their report. Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the Election Reform Commission, said that their report will be submitted by January 3. Consensus-based reforms key to sustainable democracy: Nahid & Mahfuj Iftekharuzzaman, chief of the ACC Reform Commission, explained that although the commission was formed on October 3, they began their work on October 7. Therefore, they aim to submit their report by January 7. The Constitution Reform Commission has informed that their report will also be submitted to the Chief Adviser by January 7.

The Election Commission experienced a tumultuous 2024, marked by a controversial national election and culminating in its reconstitution following a mass uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's 16-year rule. The Election Commission (EC) conducted the 12th parliamentary election on January 7 and the 6th Upazila Parishad polls in May and June. The Kazi Habibul Awal-led commission stepped down in September and the Nasir Uddin-led commission assumed office in November. Besides, the new interim government, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, formed two commissions to introduce reforms in the electoral arena: the Electoral System Reform Commission, headed by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, and the Local Government Reform Commission, led by Dr Tofail Ahmed, following the political transition on 5 August. Bangladesh needs unity, reforms, elections to move forward: Dr Yunus January 7 General Election The Election Commission, under Kazi Habibul Awal, conducted the 12th general election on January 7, 2024, amid boycotts by several major political parties, including the BNP. The one-sided polls attracted widespread criticism, with the election marked by low voter turnout, irregularities, the absence of strong opposition candidates, a lack of genuine voter choice, and the proliferation of proxy candidates. The EC announced a voter turnout of 41.8%, but discrepancies between official figures and ground-level observations were evident. As with the 2014 and 2018 controversial general elections, the 2024 election failed to gain credibility both nationally and internationally. Notably, genuine opposition parties, including the BNP, participated in the 2018 election but boycotted the polls in 2014 and 2024. It’s not true BNP prioritising election over reforms: Fakhrul Upazila Parishad Election The EC conducted the 6th Upazila Parishad Election in multiple phases between May and June, covering approximately 460 upazila parishads across the country. But this election was also marred by violence, irregularities and boycotts by the BNP and its allies. City Corporation Election The EC oversaw the Mymensingh City Corporation election and the mayoral by-election in Cumilla in March. Formation of Reform Commissions The interim government established the Electoral System Reform Commission, chaired by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, and the Local Government Reform Commission, led by Dr Tofail Ahmed. These commissions are currently preparing reports to propose reforms to the country’s electoral and local government systems. The reform reports will be submitted to the Chief Adviser. Resignation of the Habibul Awal-led Commission On September 5, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and four election commissioners resigned midway through their five-year tenure, citing the political transition. The commission, which began its tenure on 27 February 2022, faced significant criticism for its handling of the 7 January 2024 general election, controversial remarks, and inability to curb irregularities in local elections. Interim govt weakest in history, election needed by 2025: BNP leader During the resignation announcement, Habibul Awal proposed holding general elections in phases under a non-partisan caretaker government. He also suggested party-wise proportional representation and maximising the use of technology in elections. In addition to the 12th national election, the Awal Commission conducted elections, including by-elections, in 992 Union Parishads, 496 Upazila Parishads, 71 Zilla Parishads, 90 municipalities, and 16 City Corporations during its tenure. Reconstitution of the Election Commission The interim government reconstituted the Election Commission by forming a search committee to select eligible and competent individuals for the roles of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners. On November 21, President Mohammed Shahabuddin appointed retired secretary AMM Nasir Uddin as the new CEC and four others as election commissioners. The Nasir Uddin-led commission formally assumed office on 24 November. Delaying election may confuse people: Rizvi The four commissioners include former additional secretary Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, former district and sessions judge Abdur Rahman Masud, former joint secretary Begum Tahmida Ahmad, and Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah. Upon assuming office, Nasir Uddin pledged to ensure free, fair, and credible elections following necessary reforms. He stated that holding the national election would only be feasible after implementing these reforms. But the reconstitution of the EC before the submission of the Electoral System Reform Commission’s report drew criticism.

The Election Commission (EC), under the stewardship of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, has embarked on preparations for the nation’s 13th parliamentary election, setting the wheels in motion for what it promises to be a festival time in the country's democratic journey. In a decisive move, the EC has instructed its officials to initiate the procurement process for critical election materials. Plans are also underway to fast-track the door-to-door data collection drive, starting in January instead of March, to ensure an updated and robust electoral roll. US welcomes Interim Government’s steps toward election readiness These resolutions emerged from an impromptu meeting of the commission, presided over by the CEC on Thursday. The session delved into key issues, including voter list updates, constituency delimitation and the procurement of election essentials. Streamlined Procurement Timeline With swift execution, the EC feels that its secretariat could secure all necessary materials within six to seven months. Officials emphasised the need for meticulous planning to adhere to the timeline. Early or late? Chief Adviser’s election hint triggers mixed BNP reactions The meeting detailed the inventory required for the election, which includes transparent ballot boxes, indelible ink pens, official and marking seals, stamp pads, chargers, and other essentials. A review of the existing stocks against projected requirements underscored the urgency of the procurement process. Indelible ink, a crucial component, must be imported and typically requires up to 70 days for delivery. But the EC noted that some contractors have expedited the process in the past, raising hopes for an efficient turnaround. Aligning with Election Timeline Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus recently suggested that the 13th general election could be held in late 2025 or early 2026. Will be fully prepared to hold elections as per timeframe : CEC Responding to this, CEC AMM Nasir Uddin instructed EC officials to align preparations with this projected timeline. "We will be fully prepared to hold the election as per the timeframe suggested by the Honourable Chief Adviser," the CEC affirmed, exuding confidence in the EC’s ability to meet the challenge. Accelerating Voter List Updates The EC is also poised to expedite the annual update of the voter list. Traditionally, a draft list is published on January 2, inviting public feedback. Any complaints are resolved before the final list is released on March 2. BNP hopes election to be arranged soon The proposed early start to the data collection campaign reflects the EC's commitment to ensuring an accurate and inclusive voter list. Thursday’s meeting was attended by four election commissioners and senior EC officials, who pledged their collective efforts to ensure smooth preparations for the upcoming national elections.

The Election Commission (EC) has taken a plan to settle nearly 400,000 pending applications, submitted seeking correction in the national identity cards, within the next three months in a bid to curb the corruption in the NID services. Director General of the Election Commission’s National Identity Card (NID) Wing ASM Humayun Kabir on Thursday said this while talking to reporters following an operation of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), conducted at the EC offices, targeting a network of corrupt staff and brokers who allegedly involved in bribery related to NID card services. Election Commission’s maiden meeting in progress “We’ll try to resolve 3.78 lakh pending applications submitted seeking corrections (in NID) within three months so that the opportunities for corruption are reduced,” he said. The ACC, in a crackdown started 11am on Thursday, detained two brokers red-handed and took action against two corrupt staff for their involvement in bribery related to EC’s national identity card services. The NID DG said the manpower crisis is a major reason behind the backlog of applications. So, an initiative has been taken to hire more manpower for the NID services, he said. Election Commission seeks opinions on electoral reform    “I hope you will see a crash program very soon. You will see significant improvement (in settlement of applications) in the next three months,” he said, adding that the EC would try to settle all 378,000 pending applications within this period. According to the EC’s statistics, there are more than 12 crore voters in the country. A large number of voters have various errors in their NIDs. But the people face harassment and difficulties in availing NID services.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Tuesday said the Election Commission will be fully ready to conduct the next national election within the timeframe announced by the Chief Adviser. “We will be fully prepared to hold the election as per the timeframe hinted by the Honorable Chief Adviser for the national election,” he said while talking to reporters at his office here in the capital. The CEC said his commission started working for the national election from day one. “We are taking all the necessary preparations for the national election,” he said. Earlier on Monday, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said the next national election can be arranged at a time between the end of 2025 and first half of 2026. “The election can be scheduled between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026," he said in a televised speech to the nation. About the time, the CEC said the Chief Adviser announced a time limit and they will move forward accordingly. “We are not thinking of announcing any roadmap publicly. However, we will have our own action plan to work on,” he said replying to a question. As part of the preparations, the Election Commission will first prepare an authentic voter list, he said. Nasir Uddin said the commission is not thinking about holding local government elections before the parliamentary elections. Reforms need to be done in Parliament: Amir Khosru About the voter list, he said the commission will have a new final voter list in two months. Then it will go for a door-to-door data collection to revise the list again by excluding the dead persons and duplicated voters through verification, added the CEC. “The vote (national election) will be held in the light of that revised list.” In reply to another question about the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, the CEC said the delimitation will be done on the basis of fairness.  “If any delimitation was done on purpose to help a candidate win or someone lose, we will surely address it,” he said. The CEC said the delimitation of the constituencies will be done on the basis of neither the 2001one nor the current one. “We will do it on the basis of fairness,” he added.

The Election Commission (EC) has urged all to correct any errors in their National Identity Cards (NIDs) by January 2. The directive comes as part of preparations for publishing the draft voter list on the same date. In a media release issued on Sunday, the Election Commission Secretariat urged all the citizens of the country to visit their respective Upazila or Thana election offices to get corrected any errors in their NIDs. The media release stressed the importance of accurate NID information, as the draft voter list will be based on the records provided. Any discrepancies left unresolved could lead to administrative and legal complications in the future, it added. To facilitate the correction process, all concerned are required to submit a duly filled-out form along with necessary documents. EC accelerates disposal of NID correction applicants The EC has assured that adequate measures have been taken to ensure a smooth and efficient correction process. The Election Commission says that having an accurate NID is not only crucial for voter registration but also for verifying personal identity and safeguarding citizens' rights.