Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) is preparing to introduce sweeping reforms to local government election rules, including banning campaign posters, scrapping Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) provisions and removing the use of political party symbols in local polls.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud disclosed the planned changes, saying the commission wants to ensure more neutral, peaceful and credible local government elections ahead of upcoming polls expected later this year.
“One of the major changes is that local government elections will be held without posters,” he said, adding that the EC strongly favours environmentally friendly and less confrontational campaigning methods.
According to the commissioner, the EC has already started the process of amending election regulations, with the revised rules likely to be finalised after Eid and completed within June.
The proposed reforms also include abolishing the current provision for online nomination submissions and removing all references to EVM use in local elections.
Rahmanel Masud said local government polls would be conducted fully on a non-party basis, meaning candidates would no longer contest using political party symbols.
Another significant proposed change involves independent candidates. The EC plans to remove the existing requirement that independent contenders collect signatures from one per cent of voters in support of their nomination.
At the same time, election security deposits for most local government polls are likely to increase, although the final amount has not yet been determined. However, Upazila elections may remain outside this revision.
The commissioner further clarified that there would be no provisions for expatriate voting or postal ballots in local government elections.
Under the revised rules, fugitive accused persons would also become ineligible to contest elections. In particular, individuals charge-sheeted under the ICT Act would not be allowed to participate in local polls.
Rahmanel Masud said the EC is prioritising four key areas to ensure free and fair elections: government neutrality, responsible conduct by political parties, the EC’s own impartiality and the integrity of election officials.
“The government must remain neutral,” he said, while also urging political parties to avoid confrontation and violence during elections.
He stressed that the commission remains committed to fairness despite lacking direct enforcement power. “The EC has no force of its own, but it must still roar from a position of principle and firmness,” he remarked.
The commissioner also highlighted the crucial role of polling officials and presiding officers, saying honest and responsible officials can prevent fake voting and irregularities at polling centres.
Regarding election violence, Rahmanel Masud said maintaining peaceful polls would require both strict law enforcement and political commitment from all sides.
He warned against clashes, vandalism and attempts to create unrest, saying political parties would be urged not to inflame tensions even though local elections officially remain non-party in nature.
The EC expects local government elections to begin around October this year.
Rahmanel Masud added that police deployment, independent functioning of election officials and legal authority to suspend voting at troubled centres would help ensure a fair voting environment.
“If any irregularity or malpractice is found, nobody will be spared,” he said, expressing hope that the upcoming local government elections in Bangladesh would be peaceful and credible.
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