19 Aug 2025 :The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has announced that it will unveil the detailed action plan—or roadmap—for the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections, scheduled for February 2026, later this week.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed that a draft plan has already been prepared and will soon be presented to the commission for final approval. He stated that the roadmap will focus heavily on inter-departmental coordination and operational issues critical to conducting a smooth election process. “We hope to finalise and publish it within the week,” he told reporters at the EC headquarters in Dhaka .
Key components expected to be included in the roadmap are:
- Voter list updates and National ID (NID) corrections: Approximately 80,000 appeals have been filed so far, and improvements in data entry processes aim to reduce future corrections.
- Polling station planning: While the total number of polling centers will remain largely unchanged, adjustments may be made. Officials are considering increasing the number of voters per booth from 500 to 600 to improve efficiency .
- Digital voter registration updates: The EC plans to scan and digitize unscanned Form-2 voter registration documents dating back to 2008 to enhance its digital records.
- Constituency delimitation: Of 83 seats that triggered objections, hearings are scheduled from August 24 for four days to address raised concerns .
- Political party verification: Currently, 22 parties are undergoing field verification. Applicants whose applications have been rejected are being informed of the reasons for disqualification.
The EC also emphasized preparations for stakeholder engagement, including dialogues with civil society, the media, and observer organizations, which are expected to feature in the roadmap .
These developments follow a declaration earlier this month by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus that general elections will take place in February 2026, ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
The EU has meanwhile stepped up support for the electoral process. On August 19, the European Union pledged €4 million to help ensure the polls meet international standards through voter education, capacity building, and combating misinformation. EU experts are set to assist with operational planning, dispute resolution, and possibly deploy an election observation mission, subject to feasibility assessments .
As the EC readies the roadmap, the upcoming week will be crucial in setting the tone for what could be a pivotal and highly scrutinized electoral transition in Bangladesh.