[🇧🇩] Forming Election Commission/Conducting Elections

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Foreign diplomats briefed on polls preparations

The Bangladesh foreign ministry on Thursday briefed foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka about the interim government’s preparations for the upcoming Jatiya Sangsan polls and the referendum slated for February 12 next year and the...

www.newagebd.net

Foreign diplomats briefed on polls preparations
Security assured

Staff Correspondent 18 December, 2025, 17:18

Representational image | BSS photo

The Bangladesh foreign ministry on Thursday briefed foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka about the interim government’s preparations for the upcoming Jatiya Sangsan polls and the referendum slated for February 12 next year and the overall security situation.

The envoys were informed that the country’s law enforcement agencies, including the armed forces, had remained vigilant and were actively working to maintain the law and order, according to officials concerned.

Foreign secretary Asad Alam Siam held the briefing for the heads of diplomatic missions and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Dhaka at the state guest house Padma in the city, where he assured them of their security before and during the polls, the officials confirmed.

‘The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a briefing for diplomats at the State Guest House Padma this afternoon to inform

foreign missions in Dhaka about the updated preparations and security measures taken in connection with the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections and the referendum,’

said a foreign ministry statement issued later on the day.

In the briefing, the diplomats were informed that the Election Commission would welcome foreign election observers and also told them that they were invited to send election observers for the February elections.

The foreign ministry initiated the move amid security concerns expressed by various political parties after the recent shooting of Sharif Osman Hadi, an aspiring independent candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency and one of the July uprising organisers, who is now under treatment in a critical condition in a Singapore hospital.

About 40 diplomats from the embassies of different countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia and the UNRCO in Dhaka attended the briefing that lasted for around 20 minutes.

The foreign ministry invited all heads of diplomatic missions and the UN Resident Coordinator Office to attend the briefing session.

The security concerns came up further when a group under the banner of ‘July Oikya’ (July Unity) marched to the Indian High Commission in the city on Wednesday, demanding the extradition of fugitive ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and others convicted or allegedly involved in crimes against humanity during the July uprising and return of the prime suspect, Faisal Karim Masud, in the shooting of Hadia, who is also believed to have fled to India.

The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus took over on August 8, 2024 after the fall of the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina amid the student-led mass uprising on August 5.​

 

[Saif]

Journalists need to feel secure ahead of election: EU ambassador

This is a critical time for media to feel empowered to counter misinformation, he says

www.thedailystar.net

Journalists need to feel secure ahead of election: EU ambassador
This is a critical time for media to feel empowered to counter misinformation, he says

Photo: Collected

European Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller today said journalists, in the context of upcoming elections, need to feel secure from harassment and confident that arrests are subject to due process and judicial oversight.

"This is a critical time for the media to feel empowered to counter misinformation, disinformation, and foreign information manipulation and interference," he said while speaking at the 10th BRAC Migration Award Ceremony at a Dhaka hotel.

The event was organised marking the International Migrants Day. BRAC awarded 18 journalists in recognition of their investigative journalism on migration.

Addressing the event, Miller said freedom of expression must be protected for journalists to perform their duties effectively.

"Freedom of expression includes the right to offend, but draws a red line at incitement to hatred or violence," he said.

The envoy said responsible journalism concerning migration policy is key to helping society understand the realities of migration, highlighting the necessity of well-informed decision-making, and bringing forward stories of courage, hardship, and resilience.

He said while migration will continue to shape the future, the clear message is that grasping the benefits of migration depends on people migrating safely, legally, and with dignity.

Furthermore, there is a need for migration to move up the value chain, focusing on skilled and semi-skilled individuals, Miller said.

He said irregular migration exposes individuals to exploitation, deception, disappointment, lost savings, broken promises, and ruined lives.

ILO Bangladesh Head Max Tunon, BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh, Samakal Editor Shahed Muhammad Ali, and BRAC Associate Director (migration and youth platform) Shariful Hasan, among others, also addressed the event.​

 

[Saif]

Election 2026: 450,000 Bangladeshi expats registered to vote

More than 450,000 expatriate Bangladeshi voters from different countries across the world registered through a mobile app, ‘Postal Vote Bd’, in the last one month to vote in the upcoming national election and the referendum, scheduled to be held simultaneously on February 12, 2026. The

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Election 2026: 450,000 Bangladeshi expats registered to vote

UNB
Published :
Dec 19, 2025 20:21
Updated :
Dec 19, 2025 20:21

More than 450,000 expatriate Bangladeshi voters from different countries across the world registered through a mobile app, ‘Postal Vote Bd’, in the last one month to vote in the upcoming national election and the referendum, scheduled to be held simultaneously on February 12, 2026.

The Election Commission (EC) on November 19 opened the ‘Postal Vote Bd’ app for the expatriates to complete the registration process by December 25 next.

Though the postal balloting system has been in the laws for a long time, it was never practiced in the previous elections.

This is the first time the Election Commission has introduced an effective IT-supported hybrid postal balloting system, enabling expatriates, government staff who are posted outside their respective constituencies, polling personnel, and the persons who will be in the legal custody to exercise their franchise through a combination of digital registration and manual voting.

Alongside the expatriates, more than 61,000 voters from inside Bangladesh have also registered to vote through the postal ballots in the 13th parliamentary election.

As of 6:30 pm on Friday, a total of 450,226 expatriates, including 28,765 females, registered through the app from 122 foreign countries throughout the world.

Among the registrants, the highest number came from the Saudi Arabia (127,844) followed by Qatar (47,263),Oman (34,439), Malaysia (33,379), UAE (26,123), USA (23,389), UK (17,835), Kuwait (17,813), Singapore (16,980), Italy (13,269), Canada (10,939),

South Korea (9,912), Australia (8,778), Bahrain (7,611), Japan (7,308), Maldives (6,294), South Africa (5,081) and Portugal (5,033).

The registration process for In-Country Postal Voting (ICPV) started after the recent announcement of the election schedule. As of Friday evening, 61,511 voters from inside Bangladesh registered to vote through the postal ballots.

With them, a total of 511,737 persons registered through the ‘Postal Vote Bd’ app.

Among the registered ones, the highest 53,308 will vote in Cumilla district, while 45,532 in Dhaka district, 44,271 in Chattogram, 30,859 in Noakhali, 22,389 in Sylhet, 20,652 in Chandpur, 19,673 in Feni, 17,185 in Brahmanbaria, 16,300 in Lakshmipur and 12,258 in Cox’s Bazar.

In terms of parliamentary seats, the highest 8,269 registered ones will vote in Feni-3 constituency, while 7,670 in Chattogram-15 constituency, 7,411 in Noakhali-1 constituency, 7,157 in Cumilla-10 constituency, 6,869 in Noakhali-3 constituency.

There are some 12.76 crore voters under 42,761 polling stations in the country’s 300 constituencies.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on December 11 last announced the schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12 next.

According to the election schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination paper is December 29, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).​

 

[Saif]

Electoral code ignored as posters cover walls

Posters of contestants for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections are being pasted on walls and pillars across the country in violation of the Election Commission code of conduct for political parties and candidates...

www.newagebd.net

Electoral code ignored as posters cover walls
Sadiqur Rahman 20 December, 2025, 01:08

From left, posters of contestants for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections remain pasted on the pillars of the Moghbazar flyover and walls in the Agargaon 60 Feet area, violating the Electoral Code of Conduct for political parties and candidates. The photo was taken on Friday. | MD Saurav

Posters of contestants for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections are being pasted on walls and pillars across the country in violation of the Election Commission code of conduct for political parties and candidates.

Ahead of the JS elections scheduled for February 12, 2026, the Election Commission on November 10 issued the code of conduct in accordance with the Representation of the People Order, 1972.

The code of conduct prohibits the pasting of posters and the use of other campaign materials made of non-biodegradable substances.

It was expected that the pasting of election campaign posters by political parties, contestants, and their supporters would stop after the announcement of the election schedule on December 13.

However, violations of the code have continued since then.

National Citizen Party contestant for the Dhaka-9 constituency Tasnim Jara said on Thursday that the Election Commission had failed to stop her competitors from pasting colourful posters across the Khilgaon, Goran, Sabujbagh, and Mugda areas.

On her verified Facebook page, she wrote that contestants complying with the code were being sidelined while violators were becoming more prominent by displaying their presence everywhere.

Communist Party of Bangladesh’s candidate for the Dhaka-12 constituency Kallol Banik said, ‘Voters are seeing only the faces of candidates from the two major parties because their posters are still pasted on walls, while those of us following the code of conduct are not being seen at all. This is discrimination.’

The Election Commission issued the code of conduct for political parties and election contestants following recommendations from the Electoral Reform Commission, which was formed on October 3 past year after the fall of the Awami League regime.

The rationale for the recommendation is that the indiscriminate display of election campaign materials such as non-biodegradable posters, festoons, and banners pollute the environment.

According to the polls code, any election contestant or supporter who pastes posters is liable to be punished with a maximum of six-month imprisonment or a fine of Tk150,000, or both.

Any registered political party contravening the code would also face a fine of Tk1,50,000.

Until Friday, neither any election contestant nor any supporter violating the code were punished by the Election Commission.

Badiul Alam Majumder, former chief of the Electoral Reform Commission, told New Age on the day that he did not see the Election Commission being strict in enforcing the code of conduct among contestants and political parties.Campus bites newsletter

‘Action should be taken against those who are violating the code. Otherwise, no one will respect the Election Commission,’ Badiul warned.

Indiscriminate poster pasting also violates the Graffiti Writing and Poster Sticking (Control) Act, 2012.

According to the law, individuals who paste posters on undesignated walls are offenders and are liable to be punished with a fine of Tk5,000 to Tk10,000 or up to 15-day imprisonment while they may also be ordered to remove the posters at their own expense.

Speaking on the issue, Election Commission senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed regretted that poster pasting had continued despite being discouraged during the commission’s dialogue with political parties.

‘Returning officers have already been instructed to remove the election posters,’ Akhtar said, adding that he would personally meet officials of the Dhaka city corporations today to expedite the removal of posters, festoons, and banners.​

 

[Saif]

Overall election environment remains under control: EC

Voices concern regarding safety of journalists

www.thedailystar.net

Overall election environment remains under control: EC
Voices concern regarding safety of journalists

The Election Commission (EC) has voiced concern over the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, an aspiring independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency and spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, who was shot a day after the announcement of the 13th National Election and referendum schedule.

The commission also expressed concerns regarding the safety of journalists following the recent attacks at the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.

Despite these developments, Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah has said the overall election environment remains under control.

He made the remark in response to questions from journalists today regarding the overall law and order.​