EC asks education ministry to ensure exams don’t overlap with polls in Feb
The commission urged relevant agencies to repair and renovate polling stations and nearby roads in advance
The Election Commission (EC) has requested the Ministry of Education to ensure that the schedules of SSC or HSC examinations in February do not coincide with the national election, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said today (30 October).
"We are making all necessary preparations to hold the national election in February," he told reporters after a coordination meeting held at the EC office in the capital's Agargaon.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, was part of the commission's preparations to conduct the 13th National Parliament Election in a free, fair, and participatory manner.
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Four election commissioners and top officials from the ministries of home affairs, public administration, education, power, health, and local government, among others, attended the meeting.
EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the meeting discussed election-related infrastructure, logistics for polling stations, law and order, power supply, healthcare support, and budget management in detail.
He said the commission urged relevant agencies to repair and renovate polling stations and nearby roads in advance. "Even if the weather is favourable in February, we must ensure accessibility to polling centres beforehand."
The Local Government Division, the Directorate of Primary Education, and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education have been instructed to prepare educational institutions that will be used as polling centres.
Regarding polling officials, Akhtar Ahmed said the commission is preparing a full panel of presiding, assistant presiding, and polling officers.
"Teachers from government schools and colleges, as well as officials from state-owned banks, will be included to ensure voting is conducted by impartial and competent officers," he said.
The meeting also discussed transport management, particularly in remote areas, and asked the local administration to ensure helicopter landing facilities where necessary.
