Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) has completed all necessary preparations to hold the 13th national parliamentary elections in the first half of February next year, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said in an exclusive interview with the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
“There is no barrier at this stage to holding the election. Our preparations are cent percent complete,” Commissioner Masud said. “We are fully ready if the election is held in the first or second week of February.”
He confirmed that imported indelible ink for voting has already arrived, calling it a significant milestone in election readiness. “Most of the essential works have been completed,” he said.
Commenting on the current law and order situation, the commissioner said a peaceful environment was vital not only for elections but for the country’s stability and development.
He noted that the political atmosphere was improving as parties began announcing their candidates. “Once campaigning begins, we believe the situation will improve further,” he added.
Masud termed the upcoming national election “extremely important,” emphasizing that a free, fair, and participatory vote was indispensable for democracy and sustainable development.
“Without an elected government and the continuation of democracy, there can be no stability or progress,” he said.
Acknowledging public distrust stemming from irregularities in past polls, he said restoring confidence in the electoral process was the EC’s foremost goal. “We have no alternative but to ensure a good election.
In the interest of the nation and to regain public trust, we must hold a free, fair, and acceptable election. Our goal is to make this election a festival for the people,” Masud said.
A top official of the EC Secretariat told BSS that all basic preparations – including the procurement of election materials, legal amendments, and updating of the voter list – would be completed by November.
“All preparations will be finished before the election schedule is announced in early December,” the official said.
According to EC data, there are now 12,76,12,384 registered voters – 6,47,60,382 male, 6,28,50,772 female, and 1,230 third-gender (Hijra) voters. Between September 1 and October 31, the voter roll increased by over 13 lakh.
Senior Secretary of the EC Secretariat Akhtar Ahmed said the final voter list will be published on November 18, while claims and objections can be filed until November 17.
He also confirmed that the government has published the gazette of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 on November 3, introducing several major electoral reforms.
The new provisions include disqualification of fugitive convicts, inclusion of armed forces within the definition of law enforcement agencies, reinstatement of the “No Vote” option, re-election in the event of a tie, mandatory party-symbol voting for alliance candidates, and enhanced penalties for code-of-conduct violations.
Other reforms empower the EC to annul polling across a constituency if irregularities are proven, introduce IT-supported postal voting, and allow the commission to take post-election action over false information in candidate affidavits.
In preparation for the polls, three new political parties have been registered – the National Citizen Party (NCP), Bangladesh Socialist Party (Marxist), and Bangladesh Aam Jonogon Party (BAJP).
The EC has allocated the symbols “Shapla Koli” for NCP, “Kanchi” (Scissors) for the Socialist Party, and “Handshake” for BAJP.
The EC has finalized 42,761 polling centres across 300 constituencies in 64 districts, accommodating 2,44,649 booths – 1,15,137 for male and 1,29,602 for female voters.
For the first time, expatriate Bangladeshis will be able to cast their votes through postal ballots. To facilitate this, the EC will launch the Postal Vote BD Registration App on November 16, allowing overseas voters to register for participation.
EC sources also confirmed that dialogues with political parties are expected to begin next week. The commission will call on all political groups to cooperate in ensuring a free and credible election.
“We want the 13th national election to become a celebration of democracy,” Commissioner Masud told BSS. “Our main objective is to ensure that people can freely cast their votes for their preferred candidates.”
