‘EC likely to announce polls date by early dec’
Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) is likely to announce the schedule for the upcoming national election by the first week of December, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy following a high-level meeting on election preparations, he said the national election is expected to take place in February next year.
According to Shafiqul Alam, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has instructed all relevant authorities to complete essential preparatory tasks by November 15.
These include training Ansar members, procurement of body-worn cameras for polling officials and security forces, and ensuring logistical and administrative readiness ahead of the polls.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the state guesthouse Jamuna, focused on four major issues — posting and deployment of officials, training, security measures, and monitoring of misinformation and disinformation on social media. 92,500 Armed forces members to be deployed.
In a significant development, the Chief Adviser’s Office announced that around 92,500 members of the armed forces and navy will be deployed across the country during the national election to ensure comprehensive security coverage.
“Approximately 90,000 army personnel will be deployed this time, with at least one company stationed in each upazila,” said Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, noting that this represents a sharp increase from the 50,000–60,000 troops deployed in previous elections.
He added that training programmes for Ansar personnel are already underway, as a large number of them will be assigned to election duty alongside the military, police, and other law enforcement agencies.
Shafiqul further said discussions were held on the procurement and training for body-worn cameras to enhance transparency during polling activities and to ensure accountability in maintaining law and order throughout the election period.
Ensuring a Free and Fair Election
During the meeting, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus emphasised the need for free, fair, and credible elections, instructing all ministries and agencies to work in close coordination with the Election Commission to meet deadlines and maintain public confidence in the process.
Government agencies have been holding a series of inter-ministerial meetings to finalise the election roadmap, while the Election Commission continues to review constituency-level logistics, security arrangements, and training requirements for polling officials.
If preparations proceed as planned, the official election schedule — including nomination deadlines, scrutiny procedures, and campaign periods — will be announced in early December, paving the way for the 12th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh.