Want to hold election as transparent as mirror

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has vowed to hold an election in Bangladesh as transparent as a mirror, and urged for collective effort and cooperation from all sectors to achieve transparency and fairness in the upcoming polls.

“We want to conduct an election as transparent as a mirror,” the CEC said on Monday (October 6), while delivering his opening remarks during a dialogue with journalists from electronic media at the Election Commission headquarters in Dhaka. “To do that, we need everyone’s support.”

Nasir Uddin said the recently formed Reform Commission had lightened the Election Commission’s workload by engaging in consultations with various stakeholders. “They have already spoken to different groups, which is why our dialogue is taking place a bit later,” he explained.

He emphasised that the Commission’s engagement with the media was not merely procedural.

“We have repeatedly said we want a free and fair election. Today’s dialogue is not a formality — we genuinely want to move forward with your opinions. Equal opportunity for all will require your cooperation. We want to work with the media as a partner,” he said, adding that journalists play a vital role in countering misinformation and disinformation.

The CEC highlighted several steps already taken since the Commission assumed office. “We have updated the voter list, identified more than 2.1 million deceased voters — many of whom were still casting votes, according to media reports — and added over 4.3 million eligible new voters,” he said.

He added that the gender gap in the voter base had significantly narrowed. “The difference between male and female voters was once 3 million; it has now come down to 1.8 million. Women who had lost interest in registering as voters are now re-engaging, and we’ve managed to create a positive stir in that regard.”

Nasir Uddin said the Election Commission is working to introduce an IT-supported postal ballot system for expatriates, following discussions with experts. “We are also taking steps to include nearly one million individuals directly involved in the election process — members of law enforcement, government employees, and even inmates — within the voting framework. The legal provisions existed before, but we are implementing them this time,” he added.

Reiterating his call for collaboration, the CEC concluded, “We want to move forward through a transparent process — to hold an election that is truly clear, as if reflected in a mirror.”

The dialogue was moderated by the acting secretary of the Election Commission, KM Ali Newaz, and attended by four election commissioners, senior EC officials, and representatives from various media outlets.