Ultimatum Over Polling-Station Phone Ban

Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) has come under fresh political pressure after announcing a prohibition on voters carrying mobile phones within a 400-yard radius of polling stations during the forthcoming thirteenth parliamentary election and the concurrent referendum. The measure, framed as a security and integrity safeguard, has drawn a sharp rebuke from Nahid Islam, Convenor of the National Citizens Party (NCP), who warned that the Commission would be encircled in protest if the restriction were not withdrawn by the evening.

Speaking on Monday afternoon at an election rally at the Mohammadpur Eidgah ground in the capital, Nahid Islam described the directive as disproportionate and harmful to voters’ rights. He said the Commission had issued a notice barring mobile phones within 400 yards of polling centres and demanded an immediate revision. Failure to do so, he cautioned, would prompt demonstrators to surround the EC the following day. In a pointed remark, he argued that any perception of partisan conduct by the Commission could provoke consequences more severe than those faced by election bodies during past authoritarian periods.

The EC’s instruction, circulated on Sunday by Senior Assistant Secretary Md Shahidul Islam to returning officers nationwide, stipulates that members of the public are generally prohibited from entering the designated perimeter with mobile devices on polling day, scheduled for 12 February. The Commission has indicated that the policy is intended to deter covert photography of ballot papers, curb the spread of misinformation from within polling environments, and prevent unauthorised live-streaming that could influence voters or compromise secrecy.

Election officials and security agencies contend that mobile phones inside polling areas have, in previous contests, facilitated breaches of the secret ballot, intimidation through online networks, and rapid dissemination of rumours capable of triggering disorder. Civil society groups, however, have voiced concerns that a blanket restriction may inconvenience voters, impede emergency communication, and disproportionately affect elderly voters and those with health conditions who rely on mobile phones for assistance. Legal commentators have urged the EC to clarify enforcement mechanisms and proportionality, warning that inconsistent application could undermine public confidence.

The directive provides limited exemptions for personnel whose duties require communication and digital reporting. These carve-outs are summarised below:

Political analysts note that the controversy reflects a broader tension between safeguarding electoral integrity and protecting civil liberties in an increasingly digital society. While the EC has emphasised operational necessity, opposition figures argue that transparent guidelines, secure storage options for devices near polling stations, and voter education would achieve the same objectives with fewer restrictions on personal freedoms.

With polling day approaching, the Commission faces a delicate balancing act: enforcing measures to ensure orderly voting while maintaining the trust of parties and the electorate. Whether the phone ban is amended, clarified, or upheld in full may prove an early test of the EC’s capacity to navigate competing demands for security and openness in a tightly contested electoral climate.