Preparations for polls aligned with CA’s 2025-26 timeline, says EC secretary

While the BNP has called for polls in the middle of this year, the Election Commission Secretariat says it is making preparations for elections no earlier than later this year.

Election Commission, or EC, Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said preparations are underway for elections to be held between the end of 2025 and middle of 2026, aligning with a timeline proposed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

A delegation led by United Nations Development Program, or UNDP, Resident Coordinator Gwen Lewis met the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com. 

They also held a meeting with the EC secretary to discuss technical assistance for the electoral process.

“The UNDP’s cooperation is technical,” Akhtar said, speaking to journalists following the meeting.

Akhtar elaborated that it would encompass not only hardware and software assistance but also training, capacity building, mutual experience exchange, and communication development.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Fakhrul said: “We have repeatedly said that the government has no alternative but to go for an election. It is the most important thing for a democracy. I believe that it is possible to hold elections midway through this year, meaning in July or August.”

When asked about this, the EC Secretary said, "I am not in a position to give my opinion on this. Because I do not know the issues. Our preparations are based on the window given by the chief advisor, and we are working on it.”

However, Yunus added a caveat, noting that broader reforms to the electoral process would require additional time. “It may take at least another six months of additional time.”

“Roughly speaking, the election date can be set between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026.”

On Sunday, Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said: “Our overall focus is to hold the general elections, and the commission is working towards it. When we're prepared for the national election, it will cover all the other preparations. There should not be any such event that hampers the general election.”

On Tuesday, Fakhrul said: “The EC has said that we are ready to hold the elections, and that they are ready to hold the national elections. They have made it clear that two elections are not possible at the same time. Therefore, this election (parliamentary election) is necessary for the nation.”

He continued, “It should not take long to update the voter list; if anyone wants to update it within a month, they can do it.”

He suggested that subsequent tasks, including appointing presiding officers, could be completed within another one to two months.

ASSISTANCE FROM UNDP

After meeting the UNDP delegation on Tuesday, Akhtar said, "We have sought cooperation from the UNDP regarding the election process. That cooperation is institutional, communication-related, hardware, software, etc. The representatives have come to review this matter."

He noted that while Tuesday’s meeting served primarily as a courtesy call, it laid the groundwork for further discussions.

“In addition to talking to EC officials, another meeting will be held within 10 days after engaging with more stakeholders to discuss the proposal,” he explained.

The scope of work, he added, had been outlined in this initial meeting, with subsequent communication planned to refine the collaboration.

Among the pressing issues is the shortage of computer hardware, scanners, and printers required to process voter data following house-to-house updates.

“Assistance has been requested,” he confirmed.