CEC calls for public action to prevent voting irregularities and protect polling stations

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Kazi Aminul Haque, is urging citizens to stand up against any wrongdoings during elections, including the seizure of polling stations. 

He made it clear that the right to vote will only be truly realized when people can freely cast their votes for their preferred candidates without fear.

Speaking at the launch of the voter list update campaign in Savar, Dhaka, on Monday, the CEC stated, 

"From today, we begin a crucial step toward securing voting rights for the people." 

He emphasized that while the right to vote hasn‍‍`t yet been fully established, the ongoing efforts, including the opportunities created by the July revolution, can lead to its solidification.

The CEC warned against any attempts to seize voting boxes or centers. 

"To ensure the integrity of elections, we need to build public resistance to protect polling stations from being taken over," he added.

The last voter list update was conducted in 2022, and now, the Election Commission has started going door-to-door to collect information from eligible voters, including men, women, and the transgender community.

This update will allow individuals born on or before January 1, 2008, who were previously left off the list, to be included. 

It also provides a chance to remove deceased individuals from the voter roll. The Election Commission estimates that around 20 million citizens may be added to the list this time.

Before the campaign kicked off, commissioners reminded field officers to be vigilant and avoid collecting information from foreign nationals or Rohingya refugees. 

They also pointed out that many people had lost interest in voter registration because they felt their voting rights were not being respected.

The voter list update process is expected to be completed by June. Currently, the total number of voters in the country stands at 12,36,83,512.