BTV and Betar to record CEC's speech on December 10

The Chief Election Commissioner's (CEC) speech ahead of the 13th national parliament election and referendum will be recorded on December 10 and aired on Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar.

Akhtar Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Election Commission's (EC) Secretariat, disclosed the information during a briefing on Monday at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, the capital.

The EC Secretary stated, "On December 10, the CEC's speech will be recorded on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar." Now he (CEC) will decide on the record's content and time."

In response to a question about the speech's content, he stated, "I have no idea what the recording of the CEC's speech will be about or when it will be completed. If you want to know if the speech will be recorded on December 10, the answer is yes. But Sir (CEC) knows what the content is and when it will be completed."

In response to a question, the Secretary stated that he has yet to be informed of the meeting time with the President.

"I hope it'll be announced tomorrow," he said.

He went on to explain that after the election schedule is announced, those eligible to vote by postal ballot in the country must register within 15 days.

They will then receive postal ballots at their specified addresses, he stated.

Only those directly involved in the election process, such as members of the police, army, or Ansar forces, who are deployed for five to seven days, will register later.

However, government employees and those in legal custody must complete their registration within the 15-day period.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the EC instructed BTV and Bangladesh Betar to record the CEC's speech.

The letter read, "On the occasion of the 13th National Parliament Election and Referendum, the Chief Election Commissioner will address the nation. The Chief Election Commissioner's speech will be aired simultaneously on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar.

It also directed BTV to prepare a recording team to be sent to the EC Secretariat as soon as the recording schedule was confirmed and to take the necessary steps to broadcast the speech on time.

Earlier, after the 10th Commission meeting on Sunday at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, Election Commissioner Brig. Gen. Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah (Retd.) told reporters that the national election and referendum schedules would be announced soon.

"We have some work to do as part of our scheduled activities. We, the entire commission, will meet with the President. Letters will be sent to Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television tomorrow, requesting that the Chief Election Commissioner's speech be recorded. "Our previously scheduled activities have already been completed," he added.