Bangladesh will hold its 13th national parliamentary election alongside a constitutional referendum on February 12, 2026. With polling day nearing, the Election Commission has restated the steps voters must follow, from checking their details in advance to the counting of ballots at polling centres.
Who can vote
Only Bangladeshi citizens aged 18 or over on polling day are eligible to vote, provided their names appear on the final voter list prepared by the Election Commission. Inclusion on the list is tied to having a valid National Identity Card (NID), which is the primary document used to identify voters. The voter list is also used to confirm a voter’s assigned polling centre.
Checking your details before election day
In the days leading up to the election, voters can check their voter serial number, polling station and polling centre address, and constituency information on the Election Commission's Smart Election Management BD mobile application. The app is available to download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
By entering an NID number and date of birth in the app, voters can view their serial number, the name and address of their polling centre, and information about candidates in their constituency, including electoral symbols and affidavits. The Commission has said some functions, including real-time updates and results, will be activated closer to, or on, election day.
If you cannot access the app
Voters who cannot use the app can still obtain the same information through the government’s toll-free helpline (333), official Election Commission websites, or by seeking assistance from local election offices at upazilla or district level during the designated period. Polling officials can also help voters locate their serial number using the printed voter list at the polling station.
What happens on polling day
Voters must attend the polling centre assigned to them and vote during the official hours set by the Election Commission. Polling centres will be open from 7:30am to 4:30pm. Voters are required to bring their NID, along with their voter serial number and polling information obtained in advance through the app, helpline, website or local election office.
At the polling station, the presiding officer will verify the voter’s identity and details against the official voter list. Once verification is complete, the voter’s finger is marked with indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. The voter is then issued two ballot papers: a black-and-white ballot for the parliamentary election and a separate pink ballot for the constitutional referendum.
Voters will mark their choices in a designated booth and place the ballots into the ballot box in line with secrecy requirements. The ballots should be folded horizontally, as instructed, so the official seal does not transfer to other parts of the paper.
Manual voting, supported by digital information
The Election Commission has emphasised that voting remains a fully manual process using paper ballots and ballot boxes. Digital platforms are used to share information and support administration, but they do not replace physical voting at polling centres. The Commission has also clarified that applications linked to postal voting are separate from the in-person process.
Counting after polls close
After polling closes, counting begins immediately at each polling centre. The presiding officer conducts the count in the presence of candidates’ agents, observers and, where permitted, members of the media. The Election Commission has indicated the count may take longer than usual because voters will be casting two separate votes on the same day, increasing the workload at polling centres.
