Dhaka: The much-awaited 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections and the referendum are set to take place on Thursday, February 12, with voting scheduled from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm across 299 constituencies nationwide.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Election Commission (EC) has suspended polling in the Sherpur-3 constituency following the death of a candidate. However, preparations for the remaining constituencies have been completed, with logistical arrangements and security measures in place to ensure a smooth and orderly voting process.
Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker stated that all preparations for the elections are complete. He emphasized that the only task left is for voters to head to the polling stations and exercise their right to vote. Regarding security measures, the commissioner noted that the largest deployment of law enforcement personnel in the country's history has been arranged to ensure peaceful elections.
The commissioner also mentioned a predicted voter turnout of about 55 percent. EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed reassured voters that there is no reason for concern and encouraged them to vote without fear. He reiterated that the Commission has made all necessary preparations, including the distribution of ballot papers to 299 constituencies.
In an EC circular, it was stated that reports on the election atmosphere, law and order, and voting rates will be collected every two hours from returning officers during polling. After vote counting, results will be issued from the 'Preliminary Unofficial Result Collection and Dissemination Centre.'
The EC expects a total of 12,77,11,899 voters to participate in this election. Among them, 6,48,25,154 are male, 6,28,85,525 female, and 1,220 belong to the third gender. Fifty-one political parties are involved, fielding a total of 2,034 candidates, including 275 independent candidates. The BNP has fielded the highest number of candidates, while Dhaka-12 and Pirojpur-1 constituencies see the highest and lowest numbers of candidates, respectively.
Voting will occur in 247,482 polling rooms at 42,779 polling centers across 300 parliamentary constituencies. Nearly 800,000 election officials and about 900,000 law enforcement personnel will manage and secure the polls. Additionally, 55,454 observers from 81 local organizations and around 540 foreign observers will monitor the election.
To ensure a free and fair election, the EC has imposed a ban on outsiders in election areas from February 10 to February 13. Only residents or voters of the respective areas are allowed to stay. Public meetings, rallies, or processions are also banned from February 10 to February 14 under Article 78 of the Representation of the People Order, 1972.