BNP delegation meets CEC as student wing protests ballot issue

The meeting comes amid controversy over postal ballots for Feb 12 votes

A five‑member BNP delegation has met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, as student activists staged a sit‑in outside.

The delegation on Sunday afternoon was led by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Other members included Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan, chairperson’s advisory council member Ismail Jabiuallah, former acting EC secretary Mohammad Zakaria and Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal.

The meeting comes amid controversy over postal ballots for the national election and referendum scheduled for Feb 12.

More than 1.53 million voters have registered for postal voting, including over 772,000 expatriates and 761,000 government employees, polling officials and detainees.

BNP has objected to expatriate ballots listing only party symbols -- 118 in total including “No” vote -- without candidate names, unlike domestic ballots.

The party has demanded an explanation and proposed that names and symbols be included for voters inside Bangladesh.

Videos circulating on social media last week prompted debate, but Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah insisted no rules were violated.

Earlier in the day, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal began a protest outside the EC building, accusing the commission of bias under the influence of a “special political group”.

The sit‑in, led by Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir, drew hundreds of activists from Dhaka and beyond, with plans to continue into the night.

Security was tightened around the EC headquarters on the final day of appeal hearings.