18 crore people have been denied their voting rights, says Bangladesh CEC

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Sunday said that almost 180 million (18 crore) people have been denied their voting rights and the Election Commission wants to end their deprivation, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The CEC, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a training programme for election officers ahead of a voter list updating exercise, said the Election Commission (EC) wants to remove the fact that the people have been deprived of the voting right for so long.

“We want to remove the pain of their deprivation. We are steadfast in our commitment,” he said.

The countrywide door-to-door data collection for updating the list of possible voters will start on January 20.

The CEC said they are here to hear the 180 million people who have been suffering from the deprivation of voting rights.

“We’ve taken the responsibility so that we can remove their deprivation,” he said.

He said the commission’s main goal is to arrange a fair and credible election.

“It’s a marathon race beginning from today up to the delivery of the result,” he said.

“Our goal, commitment and promises to the nation is to present a free, fair and credible election as the nation has been deprived of it for so long,” the CEC said.

Meanwhile, the EC has decided to investigate irregularities and shortcomings in all previous elections, including the three preceding elections that have been controversial during the Awami League-rule in 2014, 2018 and 2024.

The 2014, 2018 and 2024 national elections are widely regarded as some of the most controversial in the country’s history.

The newly formed EC, which assumed office on November 21, has already initiated several reform measures while preparing for the 13th National Election.

A few days ago, CEC Nasir Uddin said that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League may participate in elections unless the government or the judiciary issues a ban against the party.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, 84, who was sworn-in to lead the interim government after the ouster of Hasina in August, during his Victory Day speech on December 16 indicated that elections might be held by early 2026.

“Broadly speaking, the election can be scheduled between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026,” he said. Yunus said that the elections would be held after updating the voters’ list.