Chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday said that peoples’ trust in the election system had been destroyed, making it a major challenge to bring voters to polling centres in the upcoming elections.
‘Restoring the confidence has become the commission’s most pressing task, alongside convincing the citizens that free, fair, and credible elections are possible in the country,’ he said while speaking to journalists after a view-exchange meeting with election officials at the Rangpur Regional Election Office.
Asked about what the main challenges are ahead, the CEC said that the law and order remained a visible concern but the commission had the ability to handle it.
The CEC hinted at possible changes in the process of selection of presiding and polling officers, saying that the commission was considering alternatives to relying solely on teachers.
‘We, however, cannot import people from abroad to conduct the elections; we have to work with our own citizens. If people can see that there is no manipulation in the system and trust that we are genuinely committed to holding the poll in a fair manner, they will stand beside us’, he said. Â
Noting that maintaining the law and order would be a top priority for the commission, he hoped that the situation would improve much more as the polling day approaches. The commission, along with the law enforcement agencies, is committed to creating a congenial atmosphere where everyone can cast their vote for the candidate of their choice, he added.
Terming the arrangement for a fair election is his ‘moral and sacred duty’, he said, ‘We are pledge-bound to the nation to deliver our service. My decisions might be unfavourable for some people, but those are not in my personal interest. They will be guided completely by the law. I will work impartially as long as I remain conscious.’
 The CEC also warned against the misuse of artificial intelligence and social media, describing them as bigger threats than weapons. He noted that AI was being used to create fabricated speeches and images of public figures, which many people cannot distinguish from the reality.
Chaired by regional election officer Md Dulal Talukder, the meeting was attended by all additional regional election officers, senior district and district election officers, additional district election officers, and upazila election officers of the Rangpur region. The session was held to provide directives related to the upcoming 13th national parliamentary elections.
Later, in the afternoon, the CEC joined another view-exchange meeting at the Rangpur divisional commissioner’s conference room with senior law enforcement and administrative officials — including the divisional commissioner, Deputy Inspector General of Rangpur Range police, police commissioner of the Rangpur Metropolitan Police, sector commanders, BGB Rangpur, Ansar and VDP, RAB-13, DGFI, NSI, district commissioners, superintendents of police, and senior district election officers — to discuss election preparations.
