Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC), led by Nasir Uddin, is preparing to conduct the 13th parliamentary election and a national referendum on the same day, marking the first such occurrence in the country’s history. The commission, formed on November 24, 2024, after the fall of the Awami League government, has had no prior experience in organizing elections. Despite this, it is tasked with managing two large-scale voting events simultaneously.

The report explains that under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), voters who find that someone else has already cast their ballot can still vote through a ‘tendered vote’. This ballot is kept separately and not counted. Additionally, if a polling agent challenges a voter’s identity, the voter can submit a deposit and cast a ‘challenged vote’, which will be counted if validated. The article also outlines the roles and appointment procedures for election and polling agents, emphasizing the requirement for national identification for polling agents.

The EC’s limited practical experience, having only conducted a small mock voting exercise, raises questions about its readiness to manage the upcoming large-scale electoral process.