The Election Commission of Bangladesh has officially set its sights on holding the next general election during the first half of February, in alignment with the instructions of the interim government’s chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus. This decision was formalized on Wednesday after the commission gave its approval to the proposed roadmap. On Thursday, the commission made the plan public, stating that the detailed election schedule would be declared at least sixty days before the actual polling date.
Explaining the decision, Senior Secretary of the Election Commission, Akhtar Ahmed, said during a press briefing that the Chief Adviser’s Office had specifically instructed that the election be held before the start of the holy month of Ramadan. He pointed out that Ramadan is likely to begin on February 17 or 18, which means the polls will need to be completed before then. Based on this calculation, the probable date for voting can be determined. Ahmed further added that the commission would initiate talks with political parties and other relevant stakeholders by the end of September, a process that is expected to last for approximately one to one and a half months.
The commission has also outlined 24 critical priority tasks as part of its preparations. These include introducing amendments to major pieces of legislation, such as the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the Delimitation of Constituencies Act, the Voter List Act, the Election Officers (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, and the Election Commission Secretariat Act of 2009. In addition, steps will be taken to finalize the voter list in phases, establish comprehensive policy guidelines for both domestic and international observers and journalists, and oversee the registration of new political parties. According to the plan, the formal election schedule will most likely be announced in either the second or third week of December.
The announcement of the roadmap comes shortly after Muhammad Yunus, in his televised address on August 5, reaffirmed that the 13th parliamentary election would indeed be conducted before Ramadan in February. Despite this assurance, the roadmap has not been well-received by everyone. Several political groups have already voiced their concerns and objections.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), a relatively new student-driven political organization that emerged earlier this year and is widely believed to have Yunus’s support, has openly criticized the commission’s plan. NCP leaders claim that the interim government has failed to uphold its commitments. At a press conference, Ariful Islam Adeeb, the Joint Convener of NCP and a former leader of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), declared that unveiling the roadmap before implementing the promises made in the “July Charter” amounts to nothing less than breaking trust with the public.
Similarly, Jamaat-e-Islami has raised objections of its own. The party has demanded that the upcoming election be conducted under a proportional representation (PR) system, which, according to them, would allow for a more equitable and inclusive distribution of seats and ensure their stronger participation in the country’s future parliament. These criticisms indicate that while the Election Commission has laid down a clear timeline and a set of priorities, the path to February’s polls may still face considerable political challenges and opposition.
