Presiding officers to be 'Chief Election Officer' of polling centres: CEC

"The Presiding Officer will have full authority under the law. If required, they can suspend polling or take any lawful measures. But they must discharge their duties with courage, integrity, and impartiality," he said.

The CEC made these remarks while addressing a workshop on the election process for polling officials at the RPADC auditorium in Chattogram this morning.

"The goal is to establish the rule of law through this election," he added.

Highlighting the importance of the day's training, Nasir Uddin said, "We don't know everything. We are learning from the experiences of those who have previously conducted elections. Where there are shortcomings, we will fix them. Time is short, and challenges are many."

He underscored the need for collective effort to hold a credible election. "We want to empower the Presiding Officers, Polling Officers, and Returning Officers to hold a world-class election," he said.

Nasir Uddin assured all election officers of full institutional support as long as they operate within the law. 

He stressed that only trained, impartial, and accountable officials can ensure a transparent, participatory, and fair election.

"Our ultimate goal is to conduct an election that is free, fair, and inclusive," he said.

He also emphasized the need for customized training based on participants' experience levels rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Referring to security as the biggest challenge in Bangladesh's elections, the CEC said close coordination between the civil administration and law enforcement agencies is vital. 

"To strengthen this, the Election Commission is setting up a Central Coordination Cell and an Emergency Response Unit to enable swift nationwide communication and action," he noted.

Nasir Uddin further mentioned that the success of the election depends on coordination among Presiding Officers, Returning Officers, administrative officials, and security agencies.

To combat misinformation and AI-driven propaganda, he added that the Election Commission has established a dedicated unit to monitor and respond to online disinformation.

Senior District Election Officer Mohammad Bashir Ahmed presided over the workshop. 

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar, Additional Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat KM Ali Newaz, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr Mohammad Ziauddin, DIG of Chattogram Range of Police Mohammad Ahsan Habib Palash, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Anwarul Haque, and CBTEP Project Director Mohammad Mostafa Hasan attended as special guests, reports BSS.