EC takes initiative to set up server stations at thana, upazila and district levels
At the same time, the infrastructure of these offices will be upgraded to store election materials used during polls
Highlights:
- EC plans server stations at all election office levels
- Infrastructure upgrades needed to store election materials safely
- Project spans January 2026 to December 2028
- Estimated cost of project: Tk465 crore
- Planning Commission requested revisions on certain expenditure proposals
- Offices to be built across thana, upazila, district, regional levels
The Election Commission (EC) has taken the initiative to establish server stations at the offices of thana, upazila, district, and regional election officers to build an integrated election information database.
At the same time, the infrastructure of these offices will be upgraded to store election materials used during polls.
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For this purpose, the EC has sent a project titled "Construction of offices of upazila, thana, district and regional election officers and server stations for election database" to the Bangladesh Planning Commission for approval.
In its project proposal, the EC stated that this is necessary to regularly update the photo-based voter list and to develop infrastructural facilities for national and local government elections.
It also said infrastructural facilities are needed to store ballot papers, voter registration forms, ballot boxes, EVM machines, related equipment, and other election materials used in national and different tiers of local government elections.
"To regularly update the photo-based voter list, installing server stations at election offices is essential. Currently, the activities are run through the central server station. As a result, upazila, thana, district and regional election offices often face difficulties. Likewise, their infrastructure must be improved for storing election materials. At present, most items—including ballot papers—are supplied from the centre to various offices," said a senior Election Commission official, requesting anonymity.
According to the proposal, the project will be implemented over three years — from January 2026 to December 2028.
The initial estimated cost of the project is Tk465 crore. Under the project, one regional election office building and three district election office buildings will be constructed.
In addition, 47 upazila election offices and server stations will be built, and land will be purchased or acquired for 16 metropolitan thana election offices.
Computers and related equipment, furniture, and various civil and electrical works will also be undertaken.
According to Planning Commission sources, the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) of the commission held a meeting on 29 October regarding the EC's proposal.
The meeting was chaired by Planning Commission Member (Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division) Quayyum Ara Begum. The commission asked the EC to revise certain expenditure proposals and resubmit the DPP (Detailed Project Proposal).
"The EC's project is justified. A policy decision has been taken to approve it. However, the proposed costs for constructing a separate office for the project director, some ancillary expenses, land purchase, furniture procurement, and electrical work did not seem reasonable. Therefore, they were advised to revise the DPP," said an official present at the meeting.
It was learned that under this project, the EC proposed purchasing 80,000 square feet of floor space for establishing 16 thana election offices and server stations (5,000 sq ft each), at a cost of Tk240 crore.
The Planning Commission recommended acquiring land at market price instead of buying floor space, and then constructing the offices and server stations.
In addition, Tk136.69 crore has been proposed for building 44 upazila election offices and server stations. These include 10 offices in coastal areas, 9 in haor areas, 24 in plain land areas, and one in a hilly region.
A separate proposal of Tk14.75 crore has been made to establish one regional election office, three district election offices, and three additional upazila offices with server stations.
The proposal also includes Tk9.11 crore for purchasing furniture, Tk1.20 crore for toners and various computer accessories, and Tk39.50 crore for land acquisition.
