Senior Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Akhtar Ahmed announced that ballot papers have reached all 299 constituencies, marking the completion of preparations for Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th National Parliament election and referendum. He made the statement on Tuesday morning at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka during the inauguration of a media center organized by the Department of Information for foreign journalists.

Ahmed said that except for Sherpur-3, all constituencies have received ballot papers and election materials, which are being distributed from returning officers to assistant returning officers and designated polling centers. He noted that the voting process will begin on February 12, describing it as a significant turning point for the country after overcoming many challenges.

He added that vote counting will start after polls close at 4:30 p.m., with results compiled by returning officers and gradually released by the Commission. For the first time, separate centers have been set up for postal ballots, which may take slightly longer to count but will not delay the overall result announcement. The Commission will provide regular updates and clarifications as needed.