THE schedule for the 13th national election, along with a referendum that the Election Commission announced on December 11, setting the polling day for February 12, is a welcome advancement, dispelling apparent uncertainties that had done the rounds. The submission of nomination papers closes on December 29, as the schedule announced by the chief election commissioner says; the scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place between December 30 and January 4; the last date for candidature withdrawal is January 20; the final list of candidates along with allocated electoral symbols will be published on January 21; appeals against returning officers’ decisions need to be filed by January 21 and the disposal will take place between January 12 and January 18; and electoral campaigns will run from January 22 to 7:00am on February 10, ending 48 hours before polling. About 127 million voters are expected to exercise their franchise, concurrently voting for or against the July National Charter (Constitutional Reforms) Implementation Order 2025 in a referendum on February 12. With the chief election commissioner putting out a call for sincere participation and active cooperation of all stakeholders in the elections, major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have welcomed the schedule.
Whilst most political parties have welcomed the announcement of the election schedule, noting that it has ended the uncertainty, doubts and confusion that had surrounded the the holding of the national elections, some challenges remain for all entities responsible for conducting the elections. The National Citizen Party, floated in February by the Students Against Discrimination, which led the July uprising, has also welcomed the announcement with some reservations. The National Citizen Party has expressed its scepticism about the Election Commission’s neutrality and doubts about how independently the commission could act. Violence has already started marking the journey towards the election, especially after a few major parties announced their nominations. The use of firearms, especially illegal ones, has been alleged in some places. There are concerns about the violence that could break out, and the use of money, especially undisclosed, and muscle that could taint the elections. There are concerns about the adherence of the contesting political parties to the electoral code of conduct. There are also fears of voter deterrence, ranging from intimidation to restrictive measures and digital disinformation, which includes false information, micro-targeted advertisements, and fake news and videos that could create confusion, all undermining the democratic transition.
In such a situation, all authorities responsible for holding the national elections should attend to a few issues to make the event free, fair, peaceful and credible. With three tainted elections having happened since 2008, any mishandling this time would reflect back on the election authorities as their failures that would mar people’s expectations brought forth in the changed political context.
