Election Commission Begins Dialogues with Political Parties
Dhaka, Nov. 8 — As the country moves into the election mode, the Election Commission (EC) is set to initiate a series of dialogues with registered political parties this week. These discussions aim to lay the groundwork for the upcoming national election, which is scheduled for February. The dialogues are considered one of the Commission’s last major tasks before announcing the election schedule in early December.
EC officials have stated that political parties will be invited in groups due to time constraints. This approach is necessary as the EC needs to complete the dialogues within two weeks ahead of the 13th parliamentary election. Akhtar Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the EC, confirmed this on Thursday, explaining that the dialogues will begin next week and require a two-week timeframe rather than a single week.
Electoral Code of Conduct and Registration Updates
As part of its preparations, the EC has made changes to the electoral code of conduct in line with an ordinance promulgated on November 3. These amendments align with the Representation of the People Order, 1972. The Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections Rules 2025 is expected to be published in the official gazette soon, and it will be one of the key discussion points during the dialogues.
The EC has already sent the code of conduct for publication, and the dialogues are expected to start next week. Traditionally, the Commission holds talks with each registered political party separately. However, this time, there is uncertainty about whether certain parties, such as the Jatiya Party and others allied with Sheikh Hasina’s regime, will be invited to the talks.
Currently, there are 53 registered political parties, excluding the Awami League, whose registration remains suspended. Additionally, the EC has published notifications seeking objections against the registration of three new political parties: the National Citizen Party (NCP), Bangladesh Aam Janagan Party, and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist). These parties will be recognized as registered entities after November 12.
Engagement with Stakeholders
In late September 2025, the EC initiated a series of electoral dialogues with different stakeholders, including civil society representatives on September 28. It also held discussions with teachers and senior journalists from various media outlets. In October, the Commission engaged with election experts and observers.
To ensure a free, participatory, and fair election, the EC held views-exchange sessions with law enforcement agencies and intelligence bodies on October 20, and with top government officials, including secretaries of key ministries and directors general of important agencies, on October 30.
According to the electoral roadmap unveiled in August 2025, dialogues with stakeholders were scheduled to begin in late September and conclude within about one and a half months. The EC has either completed or nearly finished all important tasks, including amendments to electoral laws, delimitation of constituencies, updating voter lists, finalizing polling stations, registering new political parties, and registering election observers.
Key Developments and Future Steps
The EC has amended different electoral laws, including the RPO, and revised guidelines for journalists, observers, and the installation of polling stations. On September 4, the Commission finalized the delimitation of 300 constituencies, redrawing the boundaries of 46 parliamentary seats in 16 districts across the country ahead of the 2026 February election.
Over 48,000 police officers have completed election training, according to the Police HQ. On October 27, the EC released the final list of 42,761 polling stations for the upcoming national election, an increase of around 611 from the 2024 election. On November 2, the Commission released the draft updated electoral rolls, which include more than 12.76 core voters. These rolls will be finalized on November 18.
Additionally, the EC has registered 66 organizations as local election observers and identified 16 more firms as eligible for registration. The final decision on these 16 organizations will be made after considering any objections received by November 27.
The EC is also planning to launch a mobile app for expatriates and others to register to vote through the postal ballot during the 2026 election. The upcoming dialogues with political parties will mark the Commission’s final major engagement before announcing the election schedule next month.