Significant progress made in preparations for a fair election

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin has said that preparations for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election have moved forward significantly.

“We have already completed many tasks ahead of the election. A major part of the work was updating the voter list, which we finished through door-to-door visits. We have also reduced the gender gap among voters,” the CEC said.

He added that nine election-related laws are being amended. “For a fair election, much of the necessary preparation is already well advanced,” he noted.

The CEC made these remarks on Sunday in his opening statement during an electoral dialogue with representatives of the intelligentsia and civil society.

He further said: “Many issues have been discussed in the Reform Commission. Whatever gaps remain, we expect you (the dialogue participants) to help fill them today. After extensive testing, we have adopted IT-supported postal ballots. Around one million people are engaged in election duties, but they cannot vote. This time, we will ensure voting rights for them. We will also make provisions for those in custody. We are committed to holding a fair, credible, and beautiful election.”

The dialogue was attended by four Election Commissioners, the EC’s Senior Secretary, and other officials. Among the 12 representatives from civil society and the intelligentsia present were: former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K. Chowdhury; Jahangirnagar University professor Al Mahmud Hasanuzzaman; former ambassador Humayun Kabir; University of Chittagong Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Yahya Akhter; security analyst Md. Mahfuzur Rahman; Professor Abdul Wazed; BGMEA Director Rashid Ahmed Hossaini; poet Mohon Rayhan; Police Reform Commission member Mohammad Harun Chowdhury; student representative Zarif Rahman; Professor Robayet Ferdous; and TIB Director Mohammad Badiuzzaman.

The Election Commission (EC) will hold further dialogues in October with political parties, journalists, election experts, observers, women leaders, and freedom fighters, among other stakeholders.