The Election Commission (EC) has barred candidates from collecting voters' National Identity Card numbers and mobile numbers during campaigning for local government elections.
The provision has been written into the city corporation election conduct rules to choke off vote-buying and transactions through mobile financial services (MFS).
Breaching the new rules can trigger jail, fines and even disqualification of the candidate involved.
The gazette on the city corporation election conduct rules, signed by EC Secretary Akhter Ahmed, was published on September 1.
Under the new rules, which scrap the 2016 code, candidates cannot collect a voter's or their family members' personal NID numbers, or mobile numbers meant for MFS transactions, to sway votes for or against any candidate.
The AMM Nasir Uddin-led commission had earlier drawn up a fresh code of conduct for parties and candidates ahead of the national election.
When allegations surfaced then of candidates collecting voters' NIDs and bKash numbers, the EC had issued a public notice warning of punishment.
This marks the first time, however, that the practice has been written into the core conduct rules for local government elections as a punishable offence.
Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker said on the new code, "We're gearing up for the local government elections. We've finalised the conduct code in coordination with parliament."
He said the rules also now cover curbing the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI), barring very important persons (VIPs) from campaigning, and promoting environment-friendly campaign practices.
EC officials said separate conduct codes would be issued in phases for municipality, district, Upazila and union council elections.
Campaign Rules
The new code keeps a blanket ban on printing coloured or paper posters for campaigning.
Campaigning through BTV or Bangladesh Betar using government facilities also remains off-limits.
Specific size limits have been set for election banners, leaflets, festoons and billboards, with all campaign material required to be in black and white.
Banners: Up to 10ft by 4ft.
Leaflets, handbills: A4 size (8.27 inches by 11.69 inches).
Festoons: 18 inches by 24 inches.
Billboards: Up to 16ft by 9ft.
Symbols: Length, width and height capped at 6ft, with no live animals allowed in campaign material.
Campaign materials must also carry a printing date, and cannot use polythene covering or PVC.
Leaflets or festoons cannot feature anyone's photo or statement besides the candidate's image and symbol.
New Posts Added To VIP List
The list of "very important persons" barred from taking part in election campaigning has been expanded with several new posts.
Alongside the prime minister, speaker, deputy speaker, ministers, chief whip, opposition leader, deputy leader of the house, deputy opposition leader, ministers of state, whips, deputy ministers or equivalent, MPs and city mayors, the list now also includes officials in charge of mayoral duties or administrators.
Abdul Alim, a former member of the Election System Reform Commission, said: "This year's conduct code looks far more comprehensive than before.
“The malpractice we saw in the last election, of collecting NIDs and bKash numbers, has now been directly written into the rules, which should put candidates on notice and make it easier for the EC to take legal action."
Flagging some "weak" spots in the code, the election analyst said: "Special assistants to the prime minister or political aides holding secretary-level rank should also have been added to the VIP list.
“Even though they aren't government officials, they hold secretary-level status, and without being named in the code, it will be difficult to restrain them."
Alim also pointed out that although local government elections are officially non-partisan, political parties remain informally involved.
"The code needed to spell out more clearly how much of a role parties can play, or how they can get involved,” he said.
