Dhaka Bureau: The Election Commission (EC) has completed all preparations for the 12th National Assembly elections. Now all the busyness is only around the schedule. The Commission has already obtained the consent of the President to announce the schedule. All that remains is the formality of approving it through the commission meeting. Which could be any day this week. In particular, there is a possibility of announcing the schedule of national elections on Tuesday or Wednesday itself. In that case, the final decision on calling the commission meeting may be taken on Sunday. Voting may be held in the first week of January. This information is known from multiple sources.
When asked about the schedule and overall preparations for the polls, EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath told Ittefaq that we are almost 100% ready for the elections. Election equipment has reached various districts. The schedule may be announced any day this week.
According to EC sources, the schedule approval and announcement may be on the same day. In other words, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) will record the speech on the same day as the commission meeting and will announce the schedule through the address given to the nation on Bangladesh Television and Radio on the same evening. That’s why the commission is spending a busy time focusing on the schedule announcement. Now CEC, along with other commissioners, are busy preparing CEC’s speech and having informal discussions among themselves. Also, the speeches given by the CEC in the past are under review.
The ‘pre-election period’ will start after the announcement of the schedule, and as per the Election Act, approval, announcement, foundation stone laying, or plaque unveiling of any project involving revenue or development funds of any government, semi-government, or autonomous organization shall cease during this period. This situation will remain in place until the election results are published in the official gazette. At this time, the government will become an election government. Government activities will be limited to routine work.
The ruling Awami League is adamant about the election under the current government. On the other hand, the anti-government BNP and their allies are on the ground with programs like the hartal blockade to demand the resignation of the government and one round of elections under a non-partisan government. The Election Commission has completed all the preparations for the election in the opposite position of the country’s two major political parties and alliances. President Md. Bangabhaban on Thursday. The Habibul Awal Commission met with Sahabuddin and highlighted the overall preparation for the election. In this regard, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said, “We are determined to hold the election on time.” And the schedule of parliamentary elections will be announced soon. Choose at any cost.
Those concerned with the EC say that the Election Commission must hold the election within 90 days before January 29, 2024, to fulfill its constitutional obligation. The countdown to the twelfth national election has also started on November 1. There is not much time left for the EC to announce the election schedule.
As per the roadmap announced by the EC, the electoral roll has already been updated in preparation for the polls. According to that, currently the number of voters in the country is 11 crore, 96 lakh, 91 thousand, and 633 people. Several reforms have been made in the legal framework for the smooth conduct of elections. The work of realigning parliamentary seats has been completed. The registration of the new party has also been completed. The draft list of polling stations has been published. The number of polling stations is 42 thousand 103. And the number of polling booths stands at 2 lakh, 61 thousand, 914. Some other work is going on, including the training of poll officials. The final list of polling stations and the Constituency Voter List CD print was completed after the declaration of the schedule. The initial phase of observer registration has been completed ahead of the upcoming national elections. The second phase is in the process of registering some more observer organizations. The foreign observer policy has also been finalized. Journalist guidelines have also been amended to allow motorcycles in news gathering. On November 4, through a dialogue, the registered political parties were invited, and the EC’s latest preparations for organizing the national elections were presented through a projector.
According to EC sources, more than 9 lakh public and private officials will be on election duty this time. The purchase of electoral equipment, allowances for officials performing various duties in the elections, and allowances for the members of the law and order forces will cost about Tk 1,600 crore in the twelfth national election. Apart from this, election training will cost more than 100 crore rupees.
“Election App” inauguration today
In order to avoid any complications in filing the nomination papers of the candidates, the system of submission of nomination papers is being kept online in this election. Along with this, there is an opportunity to pay the security deposit online through e-banking. On the other hand, the Commission has developed an app called ‘Bangladesh Election App’ to reduce the hassle of finding the name and voter number at the polling station. It will be officially inaugurated on Sunday. In addition to voter information, the identity and phone numbers of important officials engaged in election work, including the returning officer, assistant returning officer, deputy commissioner, superintendent of police (SP), and police officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station, will be given in this app, the officials said.
