Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Voting materials, including ballot papers, will be dispatched to polling stations on Wednesday ahead of the parliamentary election and the referendum.
Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah detailed the commission’s final preparations, stating that the law and order situation is "better" than at any time in the past on Tuesday.
“We are satisfied with the security situation thus far. It would have been better if the few isolated incidents had not occurred, but we are in a stronger position than in previous years,” he said while briefing the media at Agargaon's Nirbachan Bhanban.
Sanaullah confirmed that the distribution of ballot papers and equipment from the offices of assistant returning officers will commence on Wednesday morning, with all materials expected to reach stations by evening, reports bdnews24.com.
Voting for both the general election and the referendum will take place on Thursday, with polls opening at 7:30 am and closing at 4:30 pm.
Polling will occur in 299 of the country’s 300 constituencies following the death of a candidate in Sherpur-3.
Official campaigning concluded at 7:30 pm on Tuesday.
Referring to the voting process, the commissioner said: “If voters are still waiting within the station premises after 4:30 pm, their votes will be cast in accordance with the law.”
A total of 2,028 candidates are contesting, with an electorate of 127.71 million -- comprising 64.83 million men, 62.89 million women, and 1,232 voters from the third-gender community.
The commissioner clarified a change regarding voter slips.
Previously, slips could not feature a candidate’s name or symbol.
“This has been amended. Provided the size of the voter slip remains standard, it may now include the candidate's name or symbol,” he explained.
Turnout reports will be issued every 2 hours, as per previous practice. The commissioner said, “The first and last reporting intervals will be 2.5 hours. With nine hours of polling, the turnout rate will be announced in four phases.”
Results will first be published at individual polling stations. Once signed, they will move through the assistant returning officers to the returning officers, before reaching the Election Commission.
A dedicated announcement stage has been set up at the EC headquarters for the official declaration.
Moreover, the results for the parliamentary election and the referendum will be released together. Counting for both will also happen simultaneously at the stations.
“If the referendum results are released first, it could create external unrest. Conversely, if parliamentary results come out first, agents might leave the stations prematurely.
“Therefore, both the count and the results for both votes will be handled together.”