CEC Reassures 'Timely, Free and Fair' National Election

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin firmly stated on Monday that the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election 2026 will proceed on time and with certainty.

He stressed that the election is scheduled to be held in a free, fair and competitive manner.

“The Election Commission (EC) alongside the law-enforcement agencies is fully prepared. So there is no fear regarding the election. The election will be held, Insha’Allah, with everyone on board and with everyone’s cooperation,” he said while inaugurating the GenVote Festival as the chief guest in the capital’s Gulshan-1 area this morning.

“The law-enforcement agencies informed the Commission yesterday about their complete preparedness to ensure peace and order until the election period so that a free and fair election can be conducted,” he added. 

“Please stay assured, shed all worries and get prepared for the election. At the right time and in the right manner, Insha’Allah, we will witness a free, fair, beautiful and competitive election,” he further said. 

Referring to the recent attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, the prospective independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election 2026 and spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, the CEC described the incident as a stray incident.

Hoping to make the upcoming polls a historic one, the CEC said this election will mark the first time in the last 54 years that expatriate Bangladeshis are being included in the voting system through postal ballots. 

He further stated that, for the first time, voting arrangements are also being made for nearly one million officials, employees, and members of the law-enforcement agencies involved in the election process. Additionally, the Election Commission is making arrangements for those who are in prison and government employees posted outside their respective constituencies. 

The CEC noted that a referendum would also be held on the same day alongside the general election. Considering all these aspects, the CEC asserted that the upcoming polls are rightly set to be a historic election.

Nasir Uddin asked all to prepare for the election so that the Commission can hold a fair election with everyone’s support.

In reply to another question if the law and order situation is a barrier on the way to deliver a fair election, he said the overall situation has improved significantly compared to the condition seen in the next week after August 05, 2024.

“Where has the law-and-order situation deteriorated? Only occasional criminal incidents occur,” the CEC questioned, adding, the incident involving Hadi is something we think isolated. Such incidents were always seen in the past. There were the killings of former minister ASM Kibria and former MP Ahsanullah Master.”

He said the law and order situation has improved considerably compared to the situation in a week after August 5 2024, when police stations were inactive. “Now we can move freely on the streets and sleep peacefully. So, there has been no deterioration in law and order.”

The CEC said the Election Commission held a meeting with law enforcement agencies on Sunday and issued necessary directives.

The law enforcement agencies informed the EC that they are fully prepared to maintain peace and order throughout the election period.

Pointing out the exceptional initiatives taken to encourage young voters, the CEC said that he always believed in the power of youths. He called upon the country’s youth to cast their votes spontaneously to build a beautiful and prosperous future Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, European Union (EU) Ambassador Michael Miller, Second Secretary (Political Affairs) Philippe Bernier Arcand, British High Commission’s Political Councellor Timothy Duckett, Head of Development Cooperation of the Sweden Embassy Eva Smedberg, and IFES Country Director Paul Guerin, among others, were present.

EU, UK International Development, the Swedish Embassy, the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems supported this event.