EC retreats on mobile phone ban

Staff Reporter :

The Election Commission withdrew its decision to ban mobile phones within 400 yards of polling centres following strong criticism from political parties, civil society and journalists.

The controversy began after the EC issued a circular on Sunday, signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Md Shahidul Islam, instructing all returning officers to prohibit mobile phones within 400 yards of polling centres on election day.

Under the directive, only presiding officers, police officers-in-charge and two Ansar members using the “Election Security 2026” app were allowed to carry mobile phones.

The EC said the measure was aimed at maintaining law and order and ensuring a peaceful voting environment.

The decision immediately triggered a barrage of criticism. Political parties, journalists, media organisations and civil society groups condemned the move as excessive and inconsistent with the EC’s stated commitment to holding a free and fair election.

Critics argued that the bar would obstruct transparency, restrict the free flow of information and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

Among the critics were leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), Chhatra Dal leader Shaikh Tanvir Baree Hamim, Students Against Discrimination (SAD), and the Reporters’ Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED).

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) described the decision as irrational and ill-considered.

In a statement issued on Monday, TIB said the blanket ban was akin to “cutting off the head to cure a headache” and warned that it would jeopardise transparency, accountability and the free flow of information during the election.

TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said mobile phones were essential for voters’ communication and safety, as well as for journalists and observers to document irregularities, violence or malpractice. He urged the EC to withdraw the decision immediately.

The Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) also strongly protested, calling the restriction a naked and unacceptable interference in independent journalism.

In a joint statement, DRU President Abu Saleh Akon and General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel said modern journalism was inseparable from mobile phones and warned that the ban would effectively paralyse journalists on duty at polling centres, raising serious questions about transparency and media freedom.

Several political parties went further, threatening protest action. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami warned it would besiege the EC office if the decision was not withdrawn.

In a press release, the party’s Assistant Secretary General and head of its central publicity and media wing, Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, said the restriction imposed unnecessary limitations on voters instead of ensuring their freedom and security.

He termed the move “unjust” and stressed that a free voting environment was essential for a credible election.

Similar threats were issued by Islami Andolan Bangladesh and earlier by National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam, both of whom said they would besiege the EC if the decision remained in place.

Khilafat Majlis also condemned the ban, warning that it would make electoral irregularities easier and discourage voter turnout, particularly among women, elderly voters and those travelling from remote areas.

Amid mounting pressure, the Election Commission stepped back from its position.

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah clarified on Monday that there was no bar on journalists and election observers carrying mobile phones to polling centres.

He made the statement while visiting a media booth set up for journalists at the EC complex in Agargaon.

The sudden reversal came after widespread criticism on social media and formal statements from multiple stakeholders, who questioned how such a restriction aligned with the government’s and the EC’s repeated assurances of a free, fair and transparent election.

In a social media post, NCP Chief Organiser (Southern Region) Hasnat Abdullah termed the decision reckless, saying a mobile phone ban would hinder mobile journalism and citizen reporting.

He argued that such a move suggested an intention to manipulate the election process and lacked any logical basis.

Hasnat warned that the restriction would prevent voters from reporting irregularities, create a sense of insecurity and discourage voter turnout, noting that people would be unable to seek help in emergencies and many might avoid voting altogether.

In a separate statement, RFED President Kazi Jebel and General Secretary Golam Rabbani rejected the EC’s claim that banning mobile phones would ensure discipline, calling it irrational and unfounded.

They said the decision violated constitutionally guaranteed press freedom and the public’s right to information, warning that restricting journalists’ use of mobile phones would control the flow of election-related information and render the process opaque.