Next nat’l polls on first week of January: EC Anisur

Election Commissioner (EC) Md Anisur Rahman has said the upcoming general election in the country will take place in the first week of January. 

However, the official polling date is yet to be finalised, he said while speaking at the inauguration of the Training of Trainers (TOT) programme on Saturday.

The formal preparation for the next national election has commenced with the initiation of the training program today.

Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal launched the first phase of Training of Trainers (TOT) at the Election Training Institute in Agargaon.

In the speech as the chief guest, CEC Awal asserted that the polls would be cent per cent fair and inclusive if people could vote freely.

He said, "The election needs to be inclusive besides being fair, in order for it to be considered credible. Only if the people can vote freely, the polls would be 100% fair."

He, at the time, underscored the importance of the duties and powers of the Returning Officers, which have been expanded through recent legal changes.

Emphasising the target of the commission, Habibul Awal said, "We will be successful if the election is free and fair. We will have to ensure this while making it credible.

"Election is not an easy task. Our political culture and democratic culture have not reached their level best. There are many countries in the world where there is no fuss about elections. Especially in European countries, where elections are held very peacefully. They have been able to attain a stable level of democracy."

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Rasheda Sultana insisted that fair and risk-free voting can only be achieved by adhering to the law and maintaining professionalism among electoral officials. 

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Ahsan Habib advised the trainers to bear in mind the saying, "Hard Training, Easy Battle," as they prepare officials for their roles in the polling field.

Election Commissioner Mohammad Alamgir meanwhile discussed the increasing complexity of elections due to changing dynamics, necessitating extensive legislation and training. 

He said, "We have election laws. It is better if you read them yourself instead of discussing them here."

The training of election officials, which commenced on Saturday, is set to continue until 30 November. The Election Commission plans to train approximately 3,500 experts who will then educate around 9 lakh polling officials at the field level. Each batch of trainers will consist of more than 100 experts, ensuring the preparation of a capable and well-informed electoral workforce for the upcoming elections.