EC to raise allowances, tighten rules for polling officials: Secretary

Highlights

• Mock voting shows no need for more centres
• Three priority areas set for polls – election, referendum, expatriate voting
• Ballot printing underway at govt presses
• EC tells postal department to inspect sorting centres
• Bangladesh Bank told to bar defaulters
• Expat voter registration resumes in seven countries

The Election Commission will increase the allowances and financial benefits of polling officials and tighten restrictions on them receiving hospitality from local influential individuals, Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said today (30 November).

"We have been hearing repeatedly that those who perform election duties often accept hospitality from local influential people. We have now made it clear that this must not happen under any circumstance," he said while briefing the media after an inter-ministerial meeting on preparations for the 13th national parliamentary election.

"To prevent this, we have increased their allowance amounts and are considering additional financial benefits for duties during the election period so that they do not become dependent on others," he said.

The roles and authority of returning officers and presiding officers have also been clearly defined in this regard, he added.

The inter-ministerial meeting discussed at least 22 issues, including law and order, loan defaulter information management, preparation of the polling officer panel, and the removal of early posters and banners. It began at 3pm on today at the EC building, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. Secretaries and representatives from relevant ministries, divisions, and authorities were present.

Two secret booths in each polling centre

The EC is enhancing coordination across the field administration, judiciary, and relevant ministries and considering two secret stamping booths in each polling booth to reduce voting time and maintain voter flow in next February's national election and referendum, the senior secretary said.

"According to preliminary assessments from the mock voting exercise, increasing the number of polling centres may not be necessary, but each booth may require additional secret stamping rooms," he said while briefing the media after an inter-ministerial meeting on preparations for the 13th national parliamentary election.

A regular polling booth typically has one secret stamping room. The EC senior secretary said there is no legal barrier to placing two such rooms in each booth.

"Preparations are being centred on three areas – the national election, the referendum, and expatriate voting. According to the commission, the overall plan has been designed around holding the next national election and the referendum simultaneously, as well as enabling Bangladeshi citizens living abroad to vote," he said.

"Priority issues include referendum campaigning, registration for out-of-country voting, conduct rules, preventing the misuse of artificial intelligence, and strengthening voter education. Sensitisation on these matters will be increased," he added.

Ballot printing and postal checks underway

Akhtar Ahmed said ballot paper printing for the national polls is being carried out at government presses in the country, while ballot papers for expatriate voting are being printed at the army-run Security Printing Press.

"The postal department has been instructed to arrange inspections of the sorting centres in Tejgaon and at the airport," he said.

The EC has asked for stronger publicity on the referendum, out-of-country voting, preventing the misuse of artificial intelligence, and voter education, he added. The EC senior secretary also requested increased miking, local-level campaigns, and expanded television coverage at the field level.

He said the main work will accelerate once the final timeline review and announcement of the election date are completed, adding that any new challenges will be addressed gradually.

Meeting sources said Bangladesh Bank has been asked to take necessary measures to ensure that loan defaulters cannot take part in the national parliamentary election.

Expatriate voter registration resumes

Registration for expatriate voters has resumed in seven countries, including Saudi Arabia. Expatriates in these countries can now register to vote in the 13th national election and the referendum through postal ballots using the "Postal Vote BD" mobile app.

The registration process – suspended since 27 November – was reopened today at 3:15pm for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Malaysia.

The EC senior secretary said the suspension was due to technical issues. "Because of some technical problems, the registration process for expatriates in several countries had been put on hold, and it has now been resumed," he said.