Polling for the 13th parliamentary election, and the constitutional referendum will be held tomorrow, with the Election Commission (EC) outlining detailed instructions on voting procedures, transport restrictions and financial service regulations.

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Visual: Tanjeel Rezwan

Polling centres will remain open from 7:30am to 4:30pm.

How to Find Your Polling Centre

Voters can check their polling details in several ways:

Smart Election Management BD App

• Select 13th National Election
• Enter NID number and date of birth
• View polling centre, voter serial number and constituency details

Hotline 105

• Call 105, press 9 to speak to an operator
• Provide NID number and date of birth

SMS Service

• Type: PC NID
• Send to 105

Election Commission Website

• Visit ecs.gov.bd
• Select the Polling Centre menu
• Search by constituency/upazila or by NID and date of birth

National Helpline 333

• Dial 333 and press 9 to know your polling centre

What You Need on Voting Day

Voters must:

• Attend their assigned polling centre
• Know their voter serial number and polling information

At the centre:

• The polling officer will verify identity against the voter list.
• The voter’s finger will be marked with indelible ink.

Although voters and others are allowed to carry mobile phones inside polling centres, taking photographs inside secret voting booths is prohibited.

Two ballot papers will be issued:

• A black-and-white ballot for the parliamentary election
• A pink ballot for the constitutional referendum
• Voters must mark their choices inside a designated booth and fold ballots before placing them in the ballot box.

Vehicle Movement Restrictions

The government has imposed restrictions on vehicle movement ahead of polling. According to the EC, the movement of taxicabs, pickups, microbuses and trucks will remain suspended nationwide from 12:00am on Wednesday until 12:00am on polling day. Motorcycle movement remained suspended from 12:00am on Tuesday until 12:00am on Friday. Motorcycles bearing EC stickers will be exempted.

Restrictions will not apply to law enforcement agencies, the armed forces, the administration and authorised observers. Vehicles engaged in emergency services, including medicine supply, healthcare and newspaper distribution, will be allowed to operate. Vehicles used for airport travel, long-distance passenger transport and certain candidate-related movements will also be permitted, subject to approval and documentation (ticket or similar proof). On polling day, voters will be allowed to use private cars to travel to polling centres. Metro rail services will operate normally, with increased train frequency to facilitate movement.

Vehicles and motorcycles used by journalists, authorised observers or for emergency purposes will be allowed to operate with approval from the Election Commission or the respective returning officers. Motorcycles may also be used by election officials and other individuals engaged in election duties, subject to EC approval.

As telecommunication services are considered emergency services, vehicles belonging to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and BTRC-licensed organisations will be exempted from the restrictions.

The restrictions will also be relaxed on national highways, ports and key roads, including highways and major connecting roads used for inter-district or metropolitan entry and exit.

Bangladesh Bank Restrictions on Mobile Financial Services (MFS)

Bangladesh Bank has imposed temporary restrictions on mobile financial services (MFS), including bKash, Nagad and Rocket, from 12:00am on February 9 until 11:59pm on February 12. During this period, cash-in and cash-out services from personal accounts have been suspended.

Customers will, however, be able to send money in emergencies, subject to a limit of Tk 1,000 per transaction and a maximum of Tk 10,000 per day.

Services Operating Normally

Mobile recharge, utility bill payments, shopping payments and the payment of educational and government emergency fees will continue without additional restrictions. The central bank said the measures were taken to prevent vote-buying and misuse of funds during the election period. Full services will resume after midnight on February 12.