Staff Reporter
As the Election Commission (EC) gears up its preparations for folding the national election, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud yesterday said the Commission is not barring any registered po-litical party from participating in the polls.
“Those who are allowed in line with the laws, they can submit (nomination papers) to the Election Commission. And the returning officers will scrutinize these. Usually we’ve not barred anyone,” he said, replying to a question whether all registered political parties will be allowed to join the upcoming polls.
Rahmanel Masud made the remark while talking to reporters at his office in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban.
He, however, confirmed that the ‘boat’, the electoral symbol of Bangladesh Awami League whose regis-tered remains suspended, will not be in the ballot papers.
The Election Commissioner said the law and order situation will gradually improve after the election schedule is announced.
He said the matter of ensuring the level-playing field will fall under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission.
He said the polls schedule will be announced, while telecasting Chief Election Commissioner AMM Na-sir Uddin’s speech by Bangladesh Television and Betar.
Rahmanel Masud said no preparatory work remains unfinished to declare the election schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and referendum to be held in early February 2026.
Both the Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar have already asked to record the CEC’s Speech on Wednesday.
The Election Commission earlier said the election schedule would be announced by this week.
Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin met Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming election.
The CEC and four election commissioners are also scheduled to go to Bangabhaban to meet the President on Wednesday.
