Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin on Sunday said the Election Commission has already completed much of the work needed to hold the upcoming 13th national election in a free, fair and credible manner.
Speaking at the opening of an electoral dialogue with intellectuals and civil society representatives at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, the CEC said, “We have taken major steps ahead of the election — including a comprehensive voter list compiled through door-to-door visits, reducing the gender gap among voters, and amending nine election-related laws. Many of the preparations necessary for a fair election have already been advanced.”
He added that the commission has also tested and adopted IT support and postal ballot systems to enable around one million polling officials and detainees to vote — groups traditionally excluded from casting ballots. “We are committed to holding a fair, beautiful and credible election. Your advice will help us move forward,” he told participants.
The dialogue, chaired by the CEC, was attended by the four other election commissioners, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed and other senior officials. Twelve representatives from civil society and academia were present, including former caretaker government adviser Rasheda K. Chowdhury, Jahangirnagar University Professor Al Masud Hasanuzzaman, former ambassador Humayun Kabir, Chattogram University Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Yahya Akhtar, security analyst Md. Mahfuzur Rahman, Professor Abdul Wazed, BGMEA director Rashid Ahmed Hossaini, poet Mohon Royhan, Police Reform Commission’s Mohammad Harun Chowdhury, student representative Zarif Rahman, Dhaka University journalism professor Robayet Ferdous, and TIB director Mohammad Badiuzzaman.
According to EC Assistant Director of Public Relations Md. Asadul Haque, the commission will also hold a dialogue with 33 academics between 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm on Sunday.
