Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has "categorically" stated that there isn't any pressure on voters to cast their ballots at polling places, although there is pressure seen in the distribution of leaflets advising against doing so.

At a briefing on Thursday for diplomats stationed in Dhaka, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen quoted the CEC as saying, "There is no such pressure from the Election Commission, even he has no evidence of as such."

When one of the ambassadors inquired about the CEC's thoughts on the pressure placed on voters to visit polling places, he said.

In response, the CEC mentioned that the BNP, a political organisation that is boycotting elections and advising people not to visit polling places, had distributed pamphlets.

More than fifty ambassadors and representatives from foreign organisations attended the briefing that the Election Commission hosted, according to the foreign secretary.

Following a Q&A period, CEC Awal provided an update on the status of the polls scheduled for January 7.

According to the foreign secretary, since the country holds elections every five years, foreign diplomats seldom get the chance to participate in such an event.

With their thorough reports, the diplomats would be better able to inform their respective countries about the election, he hoped, thanks to the briefing.


According to Masud Momen, the ambassadors stay in regular communication with the European Commission and provide them with updates.

According to him, there weren't many queries because the ambassadors are kept up to date.

Journalists and foreign observers have reportedly begun to arrive in Dhaka, according to the foreign secretary.

If it is convenient for them, they can watch polls being conducted in Dhaka and other areas of the nation, he stated.

The Election Commission ensured that there was no shortfall in terms of adequately preparing for the polls.