Dhaka: The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) announced on Sunday that it will conduct general elections according to the timeline set by the interim government, reaffirming its dedication to ensuring free and fair elections.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin made the statement during an event where the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided technical equipment to assist in updating the voter lists, a news wire reported.
The EC received 175 laptops, 200 scanners, and 4,300 bags for data collection from the UNDP.
“We are focused on the timeline announced by the honourable chief advisor and are working towards meeting it,” the CEC said.
Last month, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus suggested that the general elections could be held by the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026.
However, he clarified that the election date would depend largely on political consensus and necessary reforms.
Nasir Uddin’s comments followed a demand by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, for elections to be held by July or August this year.
In response, the CEC emphasised that the EC would not engage in political matters and stressed that updating the voter list would take six months.
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“We will not comment on political statements. We will adhere to the law, rules, and the system,” Nasir Uddin said.
He further assured that the voter list update would be carried out transparently and in line with the public’s expectation for free, fair, and impartial elections.
At the event, UNDP Resident Representative Steffen Liller stated that discussions with political parties and other stakeholders would take place to determine the best way to cooperate for the elections.
