Presiding Officers To Be Designated As 'Chief Election Officer' Of Polling Centres: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday stated that the presiding officer at each polling station will serve as the "Chief Election Officer" of that centre, with full authority to exercise all legal powers necessary to ensure a fair and lawful polling process.

"The presiding officer will have complete authority under the law. If needed, they can suspend polling or take any lawful action. However, they must perform their duties with courage, integrity, and impartiality," he added.

The CEC made these remarks while addressing a workshop on the election process for polling officials at the RPADC auditorium in Chattogram on Saturday morning.

"The objective is to uphold the rule of law through this election," he noted.

Highlighting the importance of the training session, Nasir Uddin said, "We do not know everything. We are learning from the experiences of those who have previously conducted elections. Where there are gaps, we will correct them. Time is short, and the challenges are many."

He emphasized the need for collective effort to ensure a credible election. "We aim to empower the presiding officers, polling officers, and returning officers to conduct a world-class election," he said.

Nasir Uddin assured all election officers of full institutional support, provided they operate within the framework of the law.

He stressed that only trained, impartial, and accountable officials can guarantee a transparent, participatory, and fair election.

"Our ultimate goal is to conduct an election that is free, fair, and inclusive," he said.

He also underscored the need for training tailored to participants' experience levels, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Referring to security as the biggest challenge in Bangladesh's elections, the CEC emphasized the importance of close coordination between the civil administration and law enforcement agencies.

"To strengthen this, the Election Commission is establishing a Central Coordination Cell and an Emergency Response Unit to enable swift communication and action nationwide," he noted.

Nasir Uddin further stated that the success of the election relies on cooperation among presiding officers, returning officers, administrative officials, and security agencies.

To counter misinformation and AI-driven propaganda, he added, the Election Commission has set up a dedicated unit to monitor and respond to online disinformation.

Senior District Election Officer Mohammad Bashir Ahmed presided over the workshop.

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar, Additional Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat KM Ali Newaz, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Ziauddin, DIG of Chattogram Range of Police Mohammad Ahsan Habib Palash, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Anwarul Haque, and CBTEP Project Director Mohammad Mostafa Hasan attended as special guests.