Parties push EC to cut campaign costs, rotate officials in next polls

Teachers conduct polls in their own Upazilas and may show bias toward local candidates, says CPB leader Abdullah Kafee Ratan

Several political parties have urged the Election Commission to exercise greater caution in appointing election officials, lower the deposit and expenditure ceiling for parliamentary candidates, and strengthen administrative oversight to ensure fair and inclusive polls.

At a dialogue with six political parties on Thursday, participants proposed a wide range of measures -- from restoring the “No” vote option in all 300 constituencies to transferring polling officials across Upazilas and tightening control over pre-election spending.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and attended by other commissioners and senior EC officials.

Representatives of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BaSaD), Revolutionary Workers Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), and Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) took part in the session.

CPB General Secretary Abdullah Kafee Ratan urged transferring teachers and officials to other Upazilas for polling duties.

“Primary, high school, and college teachers often conduct polls in their own areas. They may have bias toward a candidate. Assigning them to another Upazila could ensure a fairer election -- I say this from experience.”

In his opening remarks, Nasir sought cooperation from political parties to make the next national election credible.

“Voters and political parties are our main partners,” he said. “For 53 years, we have failed to conduct a universally accepted election -- that’s a matter of national shame.”

He noted new challenges facing the commission: “Previous commissions never had to tackle social media abuse or the misuse of artificial intelligence. We have to adapt and move forward.”

FAIRNESS AND INCLUSIVITY

CPB President Sazzad Zahir Chandan proposed reducing the candidate deposit to Tk 10,000, saying: “Most people in our country are poor. We go to them for votes, but we never consider that they, too, might want to contest. If we did, we wouldn’t set the deposit at Tk 50,000.”

He also questioned the EC’s ability to monitor campaign spending: “Hundreds of millions are spent before the official schedule is even announced. Can the commission do anything about that?”

CPB's Kafee urged transferring teachers and officials to other Upazilas for polling duties.

“Primary, high school and college teachers often conduct polls in their own areas. They may have bias toward a candidate. Assigning them to another Upazila could ensure a fairer election -- I say this from experience.”

JSD Senior Vice President Tania Rab emphasised coordination between the EC, law enforcement, and local administration.

“When incidents occur, we are told to contact magistrates or senior officers. But where will we find them during an emergency?” she asked.

She proposed appointing presiding officers from neighbouring rather than home areas. “When all presiding officers are local, neutrality is compromised. Bringing them from nearby areas may reduce bias.”

CONCERNS AND REFORMS

JSD General Secretary Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan said money had sidelined ordinary people from politics.

“Those who truly care for the people and live among them are now miles away from the electoral process. The coming election risks turning into a grand festival of black and white money,” he warned.

BaSad President Bazlur Rashid Firoz said raising deposits and expenditure limits would “turn parliament into a millionaires’ club”. He demanded reducing deposits to Tk 5,000 and limiting campaign spending to Tk 500,000.

He also proposed reinstating the “No” vote option in all constituencies and criticised disqualifying candidates accused in crimes against humanity cases before conviction.

“Accusation is not guilt. Until proven guilty by a court, no one should be declared ineligible -- that violates democratic rights,” he said.

Revolutionary Workers Party leader Saiful Haque echoed calls for firmness, saying: “We want to see a strong, decisive Election Commission that does not bow to any undue pressure.”

He also supported a Tk 5,000 deposit ceiling and suggested bringing all election-related ministries under EC authority once the schedule is announced.

EC RESPONSE AND NEXT STEPS

Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah responded that the commission had strengthened the legal framework by directly linking the electoral code of conduct with the Representation of the People Order (RPO).

“We can now suspend polling or cancel results for an entire constituency,” he said.

He confirmed that the election schedule will be announced in early December, aiming for parliamentary polls in the first half of February. “We have set a two-week timeline for the process,” he added.

On managing misinformation, Sanaullah said: “We won’t restrict websites or slow down the internet. We will counter falsehoods with accurate information.”

He said, since teachers perform election duties, educational institutions will remain outside the campaign zone.

“If a school board member or chairman contests the polls, they must resign before nomination submission,” he said.