Major Concern of Political Parties: Voting Environment Not Yet Ready

Ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, several political parties stated that a free and secure voting environment has not yet been established.

They urged the Election Commission (EC) to take immediate measures.

Some parties also proposed reforms to election laws and requested easing the mandatory requirement for women’s representation in party structures.
The EC noted that they seek cooperation from political parties—not conflict—in enforcing the code of conduct.

LDP’s Demand: Security Operations Before the Poll Schedule

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) stated—

• Security concerns still exist
• In some areas, notorious criminals and robbers are being used politically
• Adequate measures for fair voting have not been taken from the beginning

According to them, conducting security operations across all regions before announcing the election schedule would restore voter confidence.
They also noted that there is discrimination in the rules governing the use of party symbols in coalition elections.

Proposal to Relax Mandatory Women’s Representation

Leaders from Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan and Bangladesh Muslim League said—

• The requirement of 33% women’s representation at all party levels is difficult for Islamic parties to implement
• Therefore, they requested reconsideration of this requirement

A leader from the Bangladesh Muslim League stated that reducing the requirement for women’s representation would be beneficial for them.
However, the party’s president, Zubeda Kader Chowdhury, stated—

• It is the parties’ own fault if they fail to bring women representatives to the dialogue
• Women are now sufficiently educated, so political parties must be more aware

Proposal for Minimum Educational Qualifications

Another leader from the Bangladesh Muslim League proposed setting minimum education levels:

• MP candidates → Master’s degree
• Upazila Chairman → Bachelor’s degree
• Union Parishad Chairman → HSC
• Union Parishad Member → SSC

Demand for Stricter Verification in Party Registration

The National People’s Party (NPP) stated—

• The EC must be more stringent in verifying party registrations
• Although many parties receive registration through court orders, the EC’s scrutiny seems weak
• They demanded a reduction in the security deposit amount

Bangladesh Congress submitted a 10-point proposal, including—

• Lowering the deposit to 20,000 taka
• Appointing election officials as returning officers

EC’s Position: Acting as a Neutral Referee

Statements by Election Commissioners:

1. Voter List Update
   • Those turning 18 by 31 October will be allowed to register.
   • Even before the announcement of the schedule, excluded voters can still be enrolled.
2. Peaceful Election Possible if Code of Conduct Is Followed
   Anwarul Islam Sarkar said—
   “If everyone follows the code of conduct, the election will naturally go well. We are in the middle of the river—during emergencies, everyone must row together.”

Tahamida Ahmed said—

“The EC will act like a referee. If parties stay active on the ground, refereeing becomes easier.”

CEC Seeks Cooperation, Not Confrontation

In his closing remarks, Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin said—

• Everyone must cooperate in adhering to the code of conduct
• Violations by political parties may lead to conflict, which the EC does not want
• He urged political parties to play a cooperative role

First Day of Dialogue: 2 Hours of Discussion

Six parties participated in the morning session.

In the afternoon, the EC held a dialogue with six more parties—

CPB, JSD, BASAD, Revolutionary Workers Party, BNF, and BNM.

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