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Published : 10 Feb 2026, 09:32 AM
Campaigning in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election and referendum has officially come to a close and a blanket of security measures has descended across the country.
Candidates contesting parliamentary seats could campaign until 7:30am on Tuesday. Any campaigning after the deadline is a violation of the electoral code of conduct.
The Election Commission (EC) is wrapping up preparations to hold a referendum alongside a general election for the first time. Ballot papers and other election materials set to head to centres on Wednesday.
Polls will be held for 299 of 300 seats in the national parliament on Thursday. Voting in one seat has been suspended due to the death of a candidate.
A total of 51 parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Party, NCP, and Islami Andolan, are contesting in the polls. Over 2,000 candidates – both party-backed and independent – are competing.
At the same time, a referendum will be held on Thursday for the consent of citizens on the reform proposals outlined in the July Charter. Voters will have to vote “yes” or “no” on four questions in the referendum.
Nearly 127.5 million voters will be able to vote in these polls. Voting arrangements are being prepared at about 43,000 polling stations across the country.
The EC has been making arrangements for two months since the official schedule was announced on Dec 11. After a campaign period that has lasted about three weeks since Jan 22, Bangladesh awaits the people’s verdict.
For the first time, expatriates and three other categories of citizens have voted using IT-supported postal ballots. Many living abroad have already voted and sent their ballots back to Bangladesh.
Those ballots must reach the offices of their respective returning officers by 4:30pm on Feb 12. If they miss that deadline, the ballots will not be counted.
DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGNING
For the past three weeks, candidates have taken to the campaign trail in Dhaka and across the rest of the country, in markets and fields, cities, and ports. Supporters and party activists have gone door to door to stump for their preferred candidates.
In the final phase of the campaign, the top leaders of the BNP, Jamaat, NCP, and Islami Andolan have given speeches on BTV outlining their manifestoes.
There have been disruptions and conflicts during campaigning, including clashes, attacks, and other violence among competing camps. Allegations have flown back and forth alongside the war of words, as have complaints to the EC.
Jasmine Tuli, who retired as additional secretary after serving at the EC for more than three decades, said: "At first it wasn’t too intense, but campaigning became quite lively near the end. One change this time is that, at least, the candidates have gone to the voters. This is a good thing."
This member of the Electoral Reform Commission commented that in the early stages of the campaign, everyone was struck by the “politics of blame” among the main competitors.
She said, “The Election Commission is looking into the issue of code of conduct violations. The EC was very flexible on that front. But, on the whole, I was pleased that the candidates went to the voters.”
Many candidates and parties, however, have criticised the commission for not ensuring a “level playing field” ahead of the election, not improving law and order, alleged “bias” on the part of the administration and presented many other complaints.
Tuli said, “Now, law enforcement is on the ground. If the situation remains calm and does not lead to any kind of violence or fighting, then the election will be a good one.”
She expressed hope that political parties will behave with restraint “in their own interests”.
SECURITY BLANKET DESCENDS
Law enforcing personnel have taken to the field ahead of the polls. Election equipment and materials are also waiting to reach polling centres.
This time, election management and law enforcement is costing about Tk 30 billion.
Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said, “We are fully prepared. We have taken very good preparations. Now the law enforcers are in the field…”
The Army has been performing routine duties alongside other law enforcing agencies for a long time. They have also been on election duty since Feb 8. Several hundred thousand members have been deployed for a week surrounding the election.
The Election Commissioner said, “Everyone has taken to the field, so the law-and-order situation will be better. And there will be a blanket of security. I believe, there is no room for any injustice here.”
All measures have been taken for a fair election and Election Commissioner Masud says there is no reason for any kind of “concern”.
He said, “There will be a free voting environment. There is no reason to be worried or anxious. The law-and-order situation is completely under control.”
Expressing satisfaction with the voting environment since the announcement of the polls schedule, Masud said: “The campaigning has ended without any conflict or violence. You can send out this message – total law and order and a harmonious election environment will be maintained.
“We have said that there is a ‘fearless, worry-free’ environment for Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists – whoever you may be. And for women.”
The campaigning was clean this time, he said, claiming that the overall situation is healthy and harmonious, and urged everyone to maintain that culture.
“There are battles between different political parties. Even if they are brothers, some would speak out on certain matters against others. This is because of their political strategies. There was no major conflict this time,” he said.
The election commissioner is hopeful that the results of all the constituencies will be finalised by the morning of Feb 13.
He said, “Personally, I think that we will be able to announce all the results by the morning of the 13th.”
>> Polls for the referendum and the 13th parliamentary election will open at 7:30am on Feb 12.
>> They will be open from 7:30am to 4:30pm.
>> Each voter can cast two ballots. The ballot for the parliamentary election will be black and white, while the referendum ballot will be pink.
>> The candidates in the general election were allocated symbols on Jan 21. Campaigning began on Jan 22 and ended on Tuesday at 7:30am.
>> The Election Commission says that, according to the Representation of the People Order, no public meeting, rally or procession can be held in parliamentary constituencies for 48 hours before the start of voting and 48 hours after the end of voting, i.e. from 7:30am on Feb 10 to 4:30pm on Feb 14.
