CEC Nasir Uddin calls on Chief Adviser Yunus

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus this afternoon for the first time since the tentative election timeline was announced earlier this month. The pre-scheduled meeting took place at the state guest house Jamuna and lasted around one and a half hours, according to Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, deputy press secretary to the chief adviser. The meeting comes shortly after Yunus stated that the next parliamentary election could be held in the week before Ramadan in 2026, provided all preparations are completed. His remarks followed a meeting in London with BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on June 13, during which Tarique proposed holding the election before Ramadan. Subsequently, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman issued a joint statement outlining a possible schedule. On June 15, CEC Nasir Uddin remarked that the commission would only be able to understand the government's stance on the election timeline after formal discussions.

He also noted that no formal discussions between the Election Commission (EC) and the government have yet taken place regarding the date of the next national election. Speaking on Saturday at the inauguration of a daylong training programme on electoral laws and regulations at the Electoral Training Institute in Dhaka, the CEC emphasized that a free and fair election is not possible without the government's cooperation, regardless of how independent the EC may be. He stressed that the government must play a central role in conducting the election. Meanwhile, the EC is continuing its preparatory work for the upcoming national polls. The commission has requested information from authorities about necessary minor repairs at educational institutions that are being used or may be used as polling centres. It is also advancing with its polling centre policy. As the constitutional body responsible for conducting the elections, the EC has underscored the importance of being fully prepared for the 13th parliamentary election. Significant progress has already been made in several areas, including updating the voter list, finalising parliamentary constituency boundaries, registering new political parties, and amending relevant laws and regulations.