Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday said that they would announce the election schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election at any time this week.
Election Commissioner (EC) Brig Gen (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said this before the journalists following a commission meeting at the EC in Agargaon in the capital.
“The schedule for the parliamentary elections and referendum will be announced between 8 and 15 December. A speech will be recorded for the nation on BTV on the occasion of the schedule.
We will send a letter to BTV for recording the speech of the Chief Election Commissioner” he said.
After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government in a mass uprising last year, the Prof Muhammad Yunus led Interim Government took the charge focusing on major initiatives including the holding of a free, fair and credible election.
With such announcement from the EC, political parties and the entire nation are now brimming with anticipation that the upcoming election is expected to be a significant turning point for the country.
EC Sanaullah revealed that following the schedule announcement, two executive magistrates will be assigned to each sub-district to monitor adherence to the election guidelines.
The number of magistrates will increase five days prior to the election. Additionally, posters promoting political candidates must be removed within 48 hours of the schedule declaration, with penalties for non-compliance, he said.
He emphasised that no new projects could be approved by the Cabinet following the schedule announcement.
Moreover, no advisory board members will be allowed to retain their positions while participating in the election. Only those eligible under the law will be permitted to run for office, he said.
Talking about the voting hours, Sanaullah said that the voting hours for the upcoming elections will be extended by one hour.
“Voting will now begin at 7:30 am and end at 4:30 pm, giving voters more time to cast their ballots,” he said.
“Additionally, special arrangements are being made for expatriate voters, with ballots for overseas Bangladeshis being printed from Monday, December 8,” he said.
He also revealed that government, semi-government, and state-owned bank employees will be appointed as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers to oversee polling duties.
Notably, employees from private banks will not be assigned to election duties this time around, he pointed out.
Regarding public holidays, Sanaullah confirmed that the election day will be a general holiday, though banks and post offices will remain open as per the EC’s needs.
Furthermore, a coordination meeting will be held on the evening of the schedule announcement day with field-level officials to ensure smooth election preparations.
In another important update, the Election Commission (EC) has extended the deadline for expatriate Bangladeshis to correct any errors or incomplete addresses in their postal ballot registration via the “Postal Vote BD” app.
The new deadline is now 9:00 am on December 9, 2023.
This extension comes in response to requests from the expatriate community, giving them additional time to ensure their details are correct ahead of the election.
Sanaullah also urged political parties and candidates to follow the electoral code of conduct strictly.
“Posters and materials promoting candidates must be cleared within 48 hours of the schedule’s release, and strict measures will be taken if this is not followed,” he added.
With the election fast approaching, the Election Commission is finalising arrangements to ensure a free and fair election, with measures in place to maintain order and transparency throughout the electoral process.
The 10th commission meeting was presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. The four other election commissioners, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, and top officials were present.
