Dhaka, Dec 3 (UNI) The Bangladesh Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah highlighting the importance of the upcoming general elections in Feb 2026, said that these elections would mark a defining moment for the whole nation, setting it on a new path for advancing its democratic journey.
"This is going to be the most consequential election in Bangladesh after independence," he told journalists this morning while inaugurating a day-long training programme for reporters.
"We stand before a very important election, and there are several dimensions to it."
Claiming that the electoral system had suffered significant damage over the years, the Election Commissioner said that the EC was working to "repair, reorganise, and restructure" it.
Calling it a collective venture, he remarked: "Cooperation from all stakeholders is essential."
He noted that voters would cast two ballots this time on the same day — one for the polls and another for the referendum on the proposed July Charter— making time management at polling centres more critical.
The mock voting exercises carried earlier for pre-poll assessments showed that an average voter took 3 minutes 52 seconds to complete the process. Those who quickly marked ballots without reading them took around two minutes, while voters who read through the ballot spent 7–8 minutes.
"The number of centres and booths will not increase. We need to make our voting management smarter," he said.
To tighten access control at polling venues, the commissioner said that it would be introducing a QR-based accreditation system to prevent the entry of "fake journalists".
Addressing the programme, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed described preparations for the nationwide election and the referendum over the charter (a proposed document for the total overhaul of the existing constitutional and political framework) as a massive undertaking. He said both processes were interconnected and required coordinated management.
Responding to public queries about the referendum — which contains four questions but allows only a single "Yes" or "No" vote — Ahmed said the format was deliberate.
"Political parties often present 20-point manifestos. People may not agree with every point, but they vote considering the overall package. The referendum works the same way," he said.
"We are now in the tide of the election, and everyone wants the best election of the century."
Both officials emphasised the need for efficiency, transparency and cooperation to ensure a smooth and credible polling day.
UNI ANV KK