Election Officials Swear in, Taking Oath Before Allah

Ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election, election officials in Bangladesh took an oath before Allah to work impartially, raising their hands as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin called upon them to uphold their responsibilities.

The oath-taking took place on Saturday, 27 September, at the Election Building Auditorium in Agargaon, during the Election Officials’ Conference 2025, organised by the Bangladesh Election Commission Officers Association (BECOA).

CEC Nasir Uddin emphasised the weight of responsibility in administering elections in a country like Bangladesh:

“I approach my duties as if I were the head of a family. Working in Bangladesh is challenging. We face both visible and invisible challenges daily. I am a positive person – I always see the glass as half full.”

He further highlighted the principles guiding their work:

• Acting with integrity and without bias
• Following the law strictly
• Issuing only lawful instructions
• Avoiding favouring any individual, party, or group

“You must not work on behalf of anyone or any party. This is a special election, and it requires special management. Your oath will be upheld through the manner in which you perform your duties,” he said.

The conference was presided over by Mohammad Monir Hossain, convener of BECOA. Other attendees included the Election Commission Secretary, additional commissioners, and senior EC officials.

Monir Hossain emphasised several key issues:

1. Deployment for Voter Activities Abroad
   • EC officials should be deployed through embassies for voter services for expatriates.
2. Awareness Programmes on AI Misinformation
   • Students at schools and colleges should be engaged to prevent misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation spread via AI.
   • Specific age groups are particularly vulnerable, making workshops essential.
3. Administrative Coordination and Rank Enhancement
   • Proper alignment of EC officers’ ranks with other government departments is necessary to maintain administrative discipline.
   • Upgrading the status of EC officers will facilitate smoother coordination with ministerial-level officials.
4. Appointment of Returning and Assistant Returning Officers
   • Assigning EC officials to these positions and holding them accountable to codes of conduct will streamline election management.

Ashfaqur Rahman, convener of the Upazila Election Officers Association, stated: “If the Commission stands firm, the field-level officers will also uphold their integrity. Our crisis is a crisis of trust. We aim to restore the lost confidence through free and fair elections. We do not wish to repeat the shortcomings of the past three elections.”