Chattogram: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin today announced that Presiding Officers at each polling station will be given the authority to act as the "Chief Election Officer" at their respective centers. This move is designed to ensure they can exercise all necessary legal powers to maintain a fair and lawful polling process.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the CEC made these statements during a workshop focused on the election process for polling officials held at the RPADC auditorium in Chattogram. He emphasized that Presiding Officers will have full legal authority and, if needed, can suspend polling or take any necessary legal action. However, he stressed that these responsibilities must be carried out with courage, integrity, and impartiality.
Nasir Uddin highlighted the importance of the training, stating that learning from past experiences and addressing any shortcomings is crucial as time is limited and challenges are significant. He called for a collective effort to ensure a credible election and expressed a desire to empower all election officials to conduct a world-class election, ensuring they receive full institutional support as long as they adhere to the law.
The CEC underscored that only trained, impartial, and accountable officials can deliver a transparent and fair election. He also advocated for customized training for election officials based on their experience levels rather than adopting a uniform approach.
Security was identified as the biggest challenge in Bangladesh's elections. Nasir Uddin stressed the importance of close coordination between civil administration and law enforcement agencies. To enhance this coordination, the Election Commission is establishing a Central Coordination Cell and an Emergency Response Unit for swift nationwide communication and action.
He further mentioned that successful elections depend on coordination among Presiding Officers, Returning Officers, administrative officials, and security agencies. Additionally, to combat misinformation and AI-driven propaganda, the Election Commission has launched a dedicated unit to monitor and respond to online disinformation.
The workshop was presided over by Senior District Election Officer Mohammad Bashir Ahmed. It was attended by Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar, Additional Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat KM Ali Newaz, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr. Mohammad Ziauddin, DIG of Chattogram Range of Police Mohammad Ahsan Habib Palash, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Anwarul Haque, and CBTEP Project Director Mohammad Mostafa Hasan.