These 5 types of vehicles will be prohibited on election day.

In preparation for the forthcoming national parliamentary election and public referendum, the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has announced a temporary ban on five categories of vehicles across the country. The restrictions will come into effect from midnight on Wednesday and continue until the close of polling on Thursday night.

The vehicles affected by the ban include motorcycles, taxis, pickups, microbuses, and trucks. The Election Commission emphasised that voters will still be permitted to travel in private cars on polling day, and metro rail services will operate as usual.

The EC clarified that the motorcycle ban will extend further, beginning midnight Tuesday and lasting until midnight Friday, the day after voting. However, motorcycles displaying official EC stickers will be exempt from this restriction.

Certain vehicles are permitted to operate despite the ban. These include:

Law enforcement and armed forces vehicles

Administration and government-authorised vehicles

Observers officially approved by the EC

Emergency service vehicles, such as those carrying medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, or newspapers

Additionally, vehicles used for airport transport of family members—either to the airport or returning home—will also be allowed, provided travellers present tickets or relevant documentation.

For long-distance passenger transport, vehicles may operate locally to facilitate the travel of passengers or returning travellers. The EC has not issued specific directives regarding public transport services, leaving their operation largely unaffected.

The EC urges citizens and transport operators to comply with the regulations to ensure a safe and orderly election process. Authorities will be monitoring roads nationwide, and exemptions will only apply under the outlined conditions.

Vehicle Restrictions Overview

The EC reiterated that these measures are crucial to maintaining public safety and ensuring that the electoral process remains free from disruptions.