Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin has said that it is not possible for the Election Commission (EC) alone to handle everything in order to conduct the upcoming national election in a fair and credible manner.
Speaking at a dialogue with journalists on Monday (October 6) at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka, he said, “The national election must be conducted as a national effort. Cooperation from the media, the people, and political parties is essential.”
The CEC stated that this election will determine the future of Bangladesh, and therefore, there is no alternative to holding a good election. He added that since assuming office, the EC has been making preparations. During the voter list update, 2.1 million deceased voters were removed, while 4.5 million new voters were added. Special awareness campaigns were also carried out to encourage women’s participation, resulting in a significant rise in female voter registration.
To ensure voting rights for expatriates, the CEC informed that a hybrid system combining digital and postal ballots will be introduced, allowing expatriates to register online and cast their votes via mail.
Highlighting the role of the media, the CEC said that no matter how much effort the EC makes, the media, the public, and political parties play an equally important role. The media helps shape public opinion and ensures equal opportunity for all.
“We want to see a festive election,” he said. “For that, we need the media’s cooperation to raise awareness so that every voter comes to the polling center to cast their vote.”
The dialogue was conducted by Acting EC Secretary K.M. Ali Newaz, with four Election Commissioners and representatives from various media outlets present.