Dhaka: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday handed over 30 desktop computers to the Electoral Training Institute (ETI), reinforcing institutional capacity for electoral training and knowledge management in Bangladesh.
According to United News of Bangladesh, as Bangladesh enters the post-election phase, the focus shifts to consolidating gains, capturing lessons learned, and preparing for upcoming local elections. In this effort, the Electoral Training Institute (ETI) serves as the central hub for building the capacity of the Bangladesh Election Commission.
Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh Stefan Liller stated that UNDP stands ready to continue supporting the Bangladesh Election Commission, building on recent achievements to strengthen the institution and preparing for what comes next, including the upcoming local elections. The ceremony, which took place at BEC's office, marks a strategic shift in UNDP's engagement from supporting electoral delivery to strengthening post-election institutional resilience.
It follows the successful conduct of Bangladesh's 13th Parliamentary Elections on 12 February 2026, which underscored the operational leadership and professionalism of the BEC, said the UN agency. The elections were held peacefully, reflecting enhanced institutional capacities developed through sustained technical assistance under the Democratic Reforms through Inclusive Participation (DRIP) and BALLOT projects.
The new IT equipment will help modernize ETI's training systems, enabling digital learning, simulation-based training, and stronger data management to support continuous, institutionalized learning across the electoral cycle. Attending as the chief guest, Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, Election Commissioner of Bangladesh, emphasized the importance of the handover as an important milestone in strengthening post-election capacity.
Chaired by Mohammad Hasanuzzaman, Director General of the Electoral Training Institute, the handover ceremony was also attended by K M Ali Newaz, Additional Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat, Sonali Dayaratne, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP, and Andres Castillo, Chief Technical Adviser of UN Electoral Assistance, DRIP, and BALLOT, along with many others. UNDP's electoral assistance in Bangladesh is supported by key development partners, including the Governments of Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.