Low trust in election system makes voter turnout a big challenge, says CEC Nasir

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has said that the erosion of public confidence in the electoral system poses a major challenge in bringing voters to polling booths.

In a bid to redress the issue, he emphasised that the Election Commission (EC) was making the "utmost effort" to conduct the upcoming parliamentary polls in a transparent and orderly manner.

"The commission is preparing the election framework, mobilising substantial manpower, and taking every possible measure to ensure a fair and impartial election,” he said during an event in Rangpur on Saturday.

“EC officials will not work for or against anyone in the upcoming election. Our goal is to hold a free, fair, and impartial election on behalf of the country’s 180 million people.”

Nasir also assured that action would be taken against presiding officers who caused problems in vote collection during the last election.

Addressing citizens, the CEC said: “Casting your vote is not only a civic duty but also a moral responsibility.”

Commenting on the spread of misinformation on social media through AI tools, Nasir added: “Efforts are being made to counter such misinformation.”

Nasir noted that there would be no restrictions on news reporting during the election, but urged journalists to refrain from live broadcasting inside polling centres.