The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election between today and tomorrow, with voting likely to be held on 8 February 2026.

Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud on Tuesday said that the schedule might be announced on Wednesday evening or on Thursday. The Election Commission (EC) would place “special emphasis” on ensuring cooperation from all political parties and stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin met Chief Justice (CJ) Syed Refaat Ahmed. The EC also asked Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar to record the CEC’s address to the nation. Usually, the schedule is announced on the same day of the speech.

Speaking to journalists after meeting the CJ, the CEC said he had paid a courtesy visit ahead of the CJ’s retirement.

He said the EC had requested the Supreme Court to expedite the deployment of the Electoral Inquiry Committee once the election schedule is announced.

The chief justice “assured that proper measures are being taken and will be taken” regarding the committee’s deployment, he added.

For the first time in the history of Bangladesh, a parliamentary election and a referendum will take place simultaneously in the 13th national election.

More than fifty parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party (NCP), are eligible to take part in this election. With the Awami League’s registration suspended, the party will remain outside the election.

‘Advisers and govt office-holders barred from contesting’

Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker on Tuesday said that anyone serving as an adviser to the interim government, or holding any government post, would not be allowed to contest the election or participate in campaign activities.

He said the EC had completed all necessary preparations, including seat delimitation, appointments of returning and assistant returning officers, and issuing about 20 circulars.

He said formats for mobile court deployment, magistrate appointments, the Electoral Inquiry Committee, judicial magistrates, monitoring cells, and law-and-order cells were finalised and would be issued immediately after the schedule announcement. “All our preparations are complete. The announcement of the schedule is now just a matter of time.”

Interim govt warns against unauthorised gatherings

The interim government has urged citizens to refrain from illegal or unauthorised public gatherings or protest movements after the election schedule is announced.

The directive was issued at a Home Ministry meeting on Tuesday under instructions from the chief adviser.

Ensuring that the February election is free, fair, neutral and festive is now the government’s primary objective.

Nearly 900,000 personnel from the Armed Forces and law-enforcement agencies, an all-time high, will be deployed. A record 150,000 police officers have already received election training.

Authorities say any unauthorised gatherings that cause public suffering will be “strictly controlled,” and those involved will face legal action.

Home Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said more than 2,000 demonstrations had been held over the past 18 months, and the government had responded to legitimate demands.

“However, we are now entering the election period. We hope that no one will create tension or disrupt the normal environment with demands during this period,” he said.

He urged all groups to present their demands to the post-election government instead of disrupting public order.

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