The Bangladesh Election Commission is eyeing December as the time to hold the national elections, the country’s Election Commissioner Mohammad Anwarul Islam Sarkar has said.
He made the remarks while addressing a discussion on the Voter List Updating Program 2025, held at deputy commissioner’s office in Narsingdi, and added: “The work of updating the voter list is nearing completion as part of our election preparations.”
“In both local government and national elections, the responsibility of the Election Commission is to conduct parliamentary elections and organise the presidential election,” he was quoted as saying according to Business Standard BD.
Elaborating on his remarks, he added “The national parliament election is essentially our primary task. If there is political consensus and the government believes it is fully prepared to conduct local government elections, the government can request the Election Commission, which will then proceed with the elections.”
Holding of the national elections has been a long-standing issue between the Chief Advisor Mohd Yunus and his political allies, all of whom have demanded that a clear roadmap be issued by the Interim Government without any further delay, so that polls can be held.
The CA and his army backed-Interim Government have been accused by supporters and opponents alike of deliberately stalling the issue of holding elections so that he can keep remaining in power.
In response to a question about whether the Awami League will participate in the upcoming elections and whether the boat symbol will be used, the Election Commissioner said it is entirely a political decision.
“It is not yet the time to say whether any symbols will be present on the ballot papers. Time will tell which candidates will contest the elections and which symbols will appear on the ballots,” he said.
The interim government’s political allies such as the BNP, NCP, and the BJI have vehemently opposed the participation of the Awami League, with calls being made to outright ban the party.
The party led by ex-PM Sheikh Hasina, who is currently living in exile in India after her ouster in August last year, has been the target of increased attacks by its political rivals as well violence against its members, with several party members having been beaten up and even killed by Islamic radicals after its government was dissolved last year.
