Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) is set to announce the schedule for elections to the reserved women’s seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on April 8, with voting scheduled for May 12, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed revealed today. The announcement came during a briefing following the 11th Commission meeting at the Nirbachon Commission in the city’s Agargaon area.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed outlined that political parties represented in the parliament will nominate candidates for the women’s reserved seats in proportion to their number of seats. These nominees will effectively be elected based on the allocation, which grants the BNP alliance 36 seats, the Jamaat alliance 13 seats, and one seat to an independent candidate. The lists of party and alliance nominees have already been submitted to the Election Commission.
The law mandates that the election process must be completed within 90 days of the publication of the official gazette of the general election results. With the gazette published on February 13, the deadline for completing the process is set for May 14. The Commission aims to adhere to this timeline to ensure a smooth election process.
Addressing queries regarding the by-elections in Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3, scheduled for April 9, the EC Secretary emphasized that these elections are being given equal importance as the February 12 polls. Voting will take place at 129 centers in Sherpur-3 and 151 centers in Bogura-6, with both including postal voting facilities. The electoral environment in these constituencies remains stable, with security measures mirroring those implemented during national elections.
Additionally, Akhtar Ahmed confirmed that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will not be used in local government elections. The decision follows reviews by three separate institutions, with the Commission prepared to take necessary actions based on their findings. He also highlighted that 50 cases related to the 13th parliamentary elections are currently pending. Election materials for the affected constituencies will be preserved until these cases are resolved, potentially for up to one year if needed. For constituencies with results stayed by court order, the Commission will comply with judicial decisions.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin and attended by Election Commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Begum Tahmida Ahmed, Md Anowarul Islam Sarker, and Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, alongside other senior officials from the EC Secretariat.