No restriction should be imposed on journalists entering polling centres: Adviser Sakhawat

There should be no restriction on journalists entering polling centres once they receive accreditation cards from the Election Commission (EC), Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, who was an election commissioner from 2007-2012, said today (11 October).

"I am saying this based on my experience as a former election commissioner — to ensure a free and fair election, the cooperation of journalists is essential. Even after issuing accreditation cards, the EC should not impose any barriers on journalists entering polling centres or restrict the duration of their stay," he said.

He made the remarks while speaking at a discussion on the 'EC's 2025 Guideline for Journalists', organised at The Daily Star Centre in the capital's Karwan Bazar by the Broadcast Journalists Centre (BJC) and the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED), in association with BBC Media Action.

In a presentation, RFED President Kazi Zebel said, "We have already rejected the guideline prepared by the EC. It's just a copy-paste version of the previous commission's policy."

Adviser Sakhawat, also a PhD researcher on Bangladesh's electoral process, said, "In today's technological age, journalists are the biggest allies of the Election Commission in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections. You can only understand the quality of the voting process by being present at the polling centres. That's why journalists should not be restricted by time limits."

He further said, "Minor reforms are needed in the policy — this is my personal opinion, not the government's. If the EC wants to conduct a free and fair election, it must be as open as possible. Once accreditation is granted, there should be no barrier to journalists entering polling centres and no restrictions on how long they can stay. However, they should not enter secret voting booths."

Calling on the EC to hold open discussions with journalists, he added, "There's nothing that cannot be solved through dialogue. There's still time — make it transparent. Allow live telecasts. The EC says it will hold the best election of the century; then its vision should be crystal clear. Journalists are the eyes of the EC — without them, transparency is impossible."

Drawing from his experience as an election commissioner during the 2008 military-backed caretaker government, Sakhawat said, "Back then, journalists were our eyes. They helped us while we were reforming the code of conduct and other electoral rules. We were committed to ensuring a transparent and credible election, and the media's feedback was invaluable. No election in the world is 100% flawless, but journalists play a crucial role in ensuring free, fair, and acceptable polls."