Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar on Friday said that the next general election would be the most risky in the country鈥檚 history.
鈥楾here is no doubt that the upcoming election will be the most risky among all the national elections held in Bangladesh鈥檚 history,鈥� he said.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day training programme for core trainers at the Electoral Training Institute in the capital.
鈥楾he main responsibility of the Election Commission is to conduct a fair and acceptable election. There is no alternative to this. Life can be lost, but there can be no room for negligence or deception. Everyone in the commission and at the grassroots level must remain committed,鈥� Anwarul said
The election commissioner expressed concern over the weakened 鈥榠nstitutional memory鈥� of the commission, which has hindered operational efficiency in many cases.
He urged the officials to maintain the dignity of the commission through confidentiality and accountability.
Highlighting the central role of presiding officers, Anwarul said that the presiding officers would be at the heart of this election. 鈥業f they were well-trained and empowered, a smooth and credible election would be possible.鈥�
If a presiding officer is brave and honest, it will be possible for an entire polling centre to operate in a transparent manner, he said.
Chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, addressing the session, underlined that professionalism and impartiality were the core principles of the commission.
He warned of new threats posed by social media, including widespread misinformation and disinformation.
鈥楩alse and misleading information is being circulated on social platforms. We must ensure that the message for the fight against fake news reaches every corner,鈥� the CEC said.
He called upon officials to repeatedly stress these values during all training sessions, saying that education and training could never substitute for ethics. 鈥楾he standard of morality must be upheld at all costs.鈥�
The CEC also highlighted the fragility of communication systems during the election process, saying that a written message changed dramatically as it passed from one person to another.
鈥榃hen communication breaks down, everything breaks down,鈥� he cautioned, urging trainers to ensure accurate messaging reaches field-level officials during the electoral process.
To combat the challenges posed by misinformation, the Commission is planning to form a dedicated cell, the CEC said.
The two-day training programme is part of the commission鈥檚 broader initiative to prepare officials across the country for the national election ahead.
