We are facing new challenges: CEC
Staff Reporter :
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has said that the Election Commission (EC) is confronting a set of new and complex challenges as it prepares for the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, describing the situation as unlike any faced in previous polls.
“We are encountering new challenges every day, which did not exist in earlier elections,” Nasir Uddin said on Friday while inaugurating a two-day training programme for core trainers at the Election Training Institute in Agargaon, Dhaka.
He identified political volatility, law-and-order issues, and technological disruptions as the key risks in the run-up to the polls. In particular, he warned about the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media, calling them “new forms of disruption capable of influencing the electoral process.”
To counter these threats, the CEC announced the formation of a central data cell tasked with monitoring and tackling misinformation and disinformation across the country.
“This initiative must extend to every corner of the country, from remote villages to char areas and the hills. Those trained here will play a vital role in disseminating accurate information and countering false narratives at the grassroots,” he said.
Nasir Uddin also underscored the need for strengthening the EC’s institutional capacity to respond to unforeseen challenges. He urged election officials to perform their duties with ethics, honesty, impartiality, and a thorough knowledge of electoral law.
“Training must be taken seriously. The success of free, fair and credible elections depends on professionalism and neutrality,” he added.
The programme was chaired by Akhtar Ahmed, senior secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat.
Meanwhile, in a separate session at the same venue, Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker described the upcoming polls as “the most risky in Bangladesh’s electoral history.”
“There is no alternative to organizing a fair and acceptable election,” Anwarul said, stressing that both the commission and field-level officials must ensure that no cheating or deception takes place.
Citing a weakening of the commission’s “institutional memory,” he admitted the EC had been “stumbling” in many areas, but called on officials to restore its dignity through confidentiality and responsibility.
He emphasized that presiding officers would be “at the centre of this election,” and urged that they be empowered and trained to act with courage and integrity.
“We have no second option other than holding a good election,” Anwarul declared, advising field officials to prepare detailed lists of potential problems and solutions in advance.
The dual warnings from the CEC and his colleague come as the Election Commission enters the final months of preparation for the polls, which are expected to be a crucial test of Bangladesh’s democratic transition.