Dhaka, Oct 8 (V7N) - Experts have urged the Bangladeshi administration to bring all election-related operations under the Election Commission (EC) and ensure proper control of field administration ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Elections. They also recommended necessary personnel reshuffles and requested the government to implement these changes. Additionally, women leaders called for violence-free, gender-sensitive elections and direct voting for reserved women’s seats.

The discussions took place on Tuesday at the EC’s conference room in Agargaon, Dhaka, as part of ongoing dialogues with election specialists and women leaders. The sessions were conducted in two phases, allowing 24 representatives to share their opinions. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin presided over the meeting and emphasized the need for collective cooperation: “I am committed to delivering a transparent and credible election. The EC alone cannot achieve this. We need everyone’s support.”

The dialogue was moderated by EC’s acting secretary K.M. Ali Newaz, with participation from four election commissioners—Abdur Rahmanel Mashud, Tahmida Ahmed, Anwarul Islam Sarkar, and Brigadier General (retd.) Abul Fazal Md. Sanaullah—along with senior EC officials.

Election experts stressed key recommendations. Former acting EC secretary M. Zakaria supported assigning returning and assistant returning officers from the Commission’s own staff. He highlighted the importance of neutral and careful deployment of personnel. Former EC deputy secretary Mihir Sarwar Morshed urged vigilance in handling postal ballots.

Other participants included Munira Khan, president of election observer organization FEMAR, former EC officials Khandakar Mizanur Rahman, Nuruzzaman Talukder, Shah Alam, Mir Mohammad Shahjahan, Misbah Uddin Ahmed, Shahedu Nabi Chowdhury, and Mahfuza Akter.

Women leaders proposed increasing women’s seats and supported the proportional representation system. Shirin Parveen Haque, member of the Women’s Reform Commission and founder of the women’s wing, recommended expanding women’s participation. Dr. Fawzia Moslem, president of the Women’s Council, emphasized excluding candidates with anti-women, communal, or anti-liberation backgrounds. Khushi Kabir, coordinator of the NGO ‘Nijera Kori,’ urged the EC to ensure the safety of women voters. Additional contributions came from Maleka Banu, Mahruq Mohiuddin, Maha Mirza, Geeta Das, Shahnaz Sumi, Salma Mahbub, Ashrafun Nahar Mishti, Shamim Ara Shiuli, and Muni.

The meeting highlighted the critical role of inclusive, transparent, and well-supervised elections in strengthening Bangladesh’s democratic process and ensuring voter confidence.

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