CEC pledges fair, secure and transparent election

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin has assured that the upcoming national election will be conducted in a fair, secure, and transparent manner. Speaking to reporters after an exchange-of-views meeting at the Chattogram Circuit House on Sunday, he stressed the importance of open information and a clean electoral process.

“We are not in favor of shutting down the internet. I want the flow of information to remain open. We aim to deliver a transparent election as a gift to the nation,” CEC Nasir Uddin said. “We don’t want votes cast in the darkness of night. We want a clean election that is visible to everyone.”

During the meeting, officials discussed potential challenges that could arise in ensuring a smooth and fair election. The CEC highlighted recent security concerns, including incidents of mob violence in hill areas, and also addressed the issue of social media misuse.

Regarding the election symbol of the National Citizens Party (NCP), the CEC said, “Any registered party must select a symbol from the list we have provided. Since the NCP’s preferred symbol is not on the list, we could not assign it.” When asked if this could still change, he responded, “The rule is that a party must take a symbol from the registered list. So far, we have not issued symbols outside this list.”

On the NCP leadership’s insistence on contesting only with the Shapla (water lily) symbol, he said, “The NCP leaders actively participated in the 2024 movement. I consider them patriots who want democracy and the welfare of the country. I am confident they will cooperate to ensure a fair and smooth election.”

The CEC also reassured journalists, promising full cooperation. “We have no intention of creating obstacles for reporters. We want journalists as partners. Please verify facts before reporting any incidents or accidents,” he said.

Highlighting efforts to increase voter participation, he added, “We want to create an environment where every Bangladeshi can vote. We are also introducing the provision for overseas Bangladeshis to vote, which did not exist before.”

On illegal weapons, the CEC stated, “Recovery of illegal arms is a continuous process and will continue until the election. Law enforcement is working to prevent the use of such weapons during voting.”

He concluded, “We want to change Chattogram’s voting history and ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election.”