EC ready to hold polls in December: EC Anwarul

Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam has reaffirmed that preparations are underway to hold the election in December.

"We are completing all necessary preparations with December in mind. We are ready. We will be able to hold the election in December," he said this afternoon during a meeting on the 2025 voter list update with district and upazila officials at the District Commissioner's office in Munshiganj.

On the ongoing voter registration process, he said, "As you can see, we have already gone door to door to collect voters' information. Now, registration is in full swing. The people of this country are eager to vote and are enthusiastically participating in the process. Field administration officials are cooperating sincerely. Everyone is working together to finalise the voter list."

"The chief adviser mentioned in his speech on December 16 that elections will be held either in December or by June 2026. If the election takes place in December, some reforms will be introduced. However, if major reforms are required, the election will be held in June next year. We are making preparations for a December election and believe it can be conducted within this timeline," said the EC.

In response to a journalist's query, Anwarul Islam clarified that conducting local government elections typically takes about a year, making it impossible to align them with the national parliamentary election in December.

However, he reiterated, "We are fully prepared, and if all goes as planned, the election will be held in December."

The meeting was chaired by District Commissioner Fatema Tul Jannat and attended by Superintendent of Police Muhammad Shamsul Alam Sarker, District Election Officer Mohammad Mojammel Hossain, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahbubur Rahman, Additional District Election Officer Mosammat Jobaida Khatun, Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Ashraful Alam, along with election officers and officers in charge of police stations from all six upazilas.