EC enforces 400-yard mobile phone ban for Bangladesh election

The Bangladesh Election Commission has prohibited the use of mobile phones within a 400-yard radius of polling stations during the upcoming national election and constitutional referendum on 12 February.

In a move designed to secure the integrity of the 13^th parliamentary polls, the commission confirmed that the ban applies to all individuals except for four specifically designated personnel. A formal directive, issued by Senior Assistant Secretary Md Shahidul Islam, has been dispatched to 69 returning officers nationwide to ensure the exclusion zone is strictly maintained from the start of polling until the final count.

According to the official guidelines, the only individuals permitted to carry devices within the perimeter are the presiding officer, the police officer in charge of station security, and two members of the Ansar force. These Ansar personnel have been specially assigned to operate the ‘Election Security 2026’ application, a digital tool developed to provide real-time reporting and rapid response to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The commission clarified that this prohibition extends to candidates, political agents, and members of the press. This rigorous approach aims to prevent the unauthorised transmission of data and mitigate the risk of digital interference or voter intimidation within the immediate vicinity of the ballot boxes.

Returning officers, including divisional commissioners and district deputy commissioners, have been granted the authority to enforce these measures rigorously. The directive coincides with a massive security deployment involving approximately 900,000 personnel, including the armed forces and the Border Guard Bangladesh, all tasked with maintaining a neutral and stable environment for the nearly 128 million registered voters.

Thursday’s polls will see citizens participate in both the general election and a referendum on the July National Charter. To accommodate the double ballot, the Election Commission has extended polling hours, with stations now scheduled to remain open from 07:30 to 16:30.