The Election Commission (EC) has initiated discussions with ambassadors from 18 development partner countries, including representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as part of its preparations for the upcoming general election.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin led the meeting on Tuesday at the EC office, accompanied by commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Begum Tahmida Ahmed, Anwarul Islam Sarker, and Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, according to the commission’s spokesperson Shariful Alam.
This was the first formal meeting between the Nasir Uddin-led EC and all development partners.
The UNDP has been providing technical support for updating the voter list and has committed to offering further assistance in areas such as training, capacity building, and communication. The European Union has also expressed its willingness to support the electoral process.
Upon taking office, CEC Nasir Uddin assured the public of a “well-organized and transparent” election and urged everyone to remain confident in the process.
ELECTION TIMELINE AND PREPARATIONS
Most political parties, including the BNP, have been advocating for early elections. In his Victory Day speech, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus hinted at a potential election timeline, noting that the election date would depend on the political reforms agreed upon through consensus, with a possible timeline between late 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Meanwhile, the EC has continued its preparations, focusing on key areas such as updating the voter list, pursuing legal reforms and constituency delimitation, and registering new political parties.
On Monday, the BNP held a meeting with the EC to discuss election preparations. After the meeting, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan stated that they expected the EC to be fully prepared for elections by May or June 2025, once the voter roll is updated.
