EC holds inter-ministerial meeting on preparations for national polls

The Election Commission (EC) is holding an inter-ministerial meeting today (30 October) to coordinate overall election activities before and after the announcement of the poll schedule.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, began at 3pm at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, four election commissioners, the EC secretary, and senior officials from different ministries and agencies are present.

According to EC sources, the meeting aims to finalise proposals on several key issues ahead of the election schedule announcement — including maintaining law and order, collecting information on loan defaulters, sending polling results from centres to the EC via post office in special envelopes, and appointing executive magistrates.

The meeting will also focus on issues including the establishment of polling centres, transportation of electronic voting machines and equipment, manpower, campaigning, health and safety measures, voter awareness, postal voting, and various logistics supports — along with keeping the Fire Service and Civil Defence prepared to prevent fire and other disasters at polling centres.

Election Commission holds a meeting, chaired by AMM Nasir Uddin, with secretaries of relevant ministries and divisions, as well as director generals and chairmen of various departments and authorities, to discuss preparations for the 13th national polls, on 30 October 2025. Photo: Jahir Rayhan

Earlier, the EC had sent letters to 31 ministries and divisions, requesting their participation in the preparatory meeting to ensure that the upcoming parliamentary election is free, fair, inclusive, and peaceful.

Those invited include the cabinet secretary, the Bangladesh Bank governor, senior secretaries of the home, public administration, expatriates' welfare, foreign, and shipping ministries, and secretaries from key divisions including finance, law, information, local government, agriculture, education, ICT, road transport, and others.

According to a circular signed by Mohammad Monir Hossain, deputy secretary of the EC Secretariat, issued on Sunday (26 October), the meeting is scheduled to take place at 3pm at the EC Secretariat's conference room, with the Chief Election Commissioner presiding and other Election Commissioners present.

According to EC, the 13th parliamentary election is expected to be held in the first half of February next year, before Ramadan. The EC is already proceeding with its preparatory activities according to the announced roadmap and has said that the schedule will be announced in December.

Regarding election preparations, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Monday told reporters, "All work is progressing according to the roadmap. Around 90% to 95% of preparations have been completed. We will be able to finish everything on time."

The EC said around 9–10 lakh polling officials and 7–8 lakh law enforcement members will be deployed for the upcoming national election.

Notably, for nearly 13 crore voters, the EC has determined a total of 42,761 polling centres across the country. These centres will contain 244,649 booths — of which 115,137 are for men and 129,602 for women.