EC likely to announce election schedule by 7 Dec; law enforcement meeting tomorrow

The Election Commission (EC) is set to announce the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election by the first week of December.

According to the election commissioners, the announcement may come on any day between 4 and 7 December. The commission has already indicated plans to hold the national election in the first half of February, ahead of Ramadan.

The interim government has similarly stated that voting will be held before Ramadan, with the EC to specify the exact date in the official schedule.

Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud told The Business Standard, "The schedule will be announced in the first week of December—any day from the 1st to the 7th. I cannot specify the date yet; it could be the 4th or the 7th."

The commission had earlier said that the election schedule would be declared 60 days before the polls, based on its operational plan.

Responding to queries about this, Masud said, "Sixty days is not mandatory. It could be 58 or 62 days. The plan was prepared with an approximate 60-day gap."

When asked whether the possible election date has been communicated to the government, he replied, "Not yet, but it will be shared this week. The date for the schedule announcement will be confirmed by the 7th."

Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin told reporters that special arrangements will be made for vulnerable polling areas. The deployment strategy will be finalised in meetings with law enforcement agencies.

He said the EC is committed to delivering a free, fair and credible election.

Typically, the gap between the schedule announcement and polling day is 40–45 days, but this year it may extend to 60 days, EC officials said.

EC Secretariat officials noted that 3 or 4 December are the most suitable dates for announcing the schedule, as 5 and 6 December fall on Friday and Saturday—days on which such announcements are rarely made.

If shifted to the second week, the schedule could be declared between 7 and 11 December. The commission is planning to hold the election between 5 and 12 February.

Law and order meeting tomorrow

On 27 November, the EC will hold a consultative and preparatory meeting with law enforcement agencies regarding election-time security. The meeting will finalise deployment strategies, field-level coordination and instructions.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, chiefs of security agencies, and heads of relevant departments have been invited.

Another meeting will be held on 30 November with the Cabinet Secretary, the Bangladesh Bank Governor, 22 secretaries and other departmental heads to discuss polling centre preparation, the panel of polling officials, and operational guidelines.

EC Masud said that tomorrow's meeting will focus on security preparedness, the current situation, and ways to strengthen it ahead of the polls.

EC plans CCTV at vulnerable polling stations

The Election Commission intends to install CCTV cameras at vulnerable polling centres for the upcoming national election. According to documents prepared for discussions with law enforcement agencies, the EC aims to ensure effective monitoring and swift action to identify individuals or groups attempting to create unrest.

Responsibility for CCTV installation will rest with the Ministry of Home Affairs, in line with decisions taken at its 14th coordination meeting, according to EC sources.

Mock voting on 29 November

As part of preparations for both the parliamentary election and the referendum, the EC will conduct mock voting on 29 November. Commissioners will inspect how long each voter takes to cast a ballot, identify logistical issues at polling centres, and assess requirements for persons with special needs.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said at a briefing today (26 November), "The mock voting will be held from 8am to 12pm on Saturday at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Government Girls' High School. Based on the results, we will decide whether the number of centres needs to be increased, whether adjustments are needed, and whether polling booths or manpower should be revised."