(a) To allow stationary observation, so that observers may remain at the centre throughout the day, but not inside the polling booth continuously. (b) Official permission to be granted to observer organizations for pre-election observation. (c) Fake and biased observers to be banned. (d) Appointment of individual observers to be allowed. (e) Election observation reports to be used to improve future elections. (f) To make the steps from the beginning to the end of appointing international observers clear for the concerned organizations. To appoint observers according to the decision of the Commission instead of the government. (g) Journalist with valid election commission-issued cards to be allowed to enter polling stations to document irregularities, and they be allowed to use motorcycles on election day.

Year
2025
Reform Domain
Electoral Process Electoral Process
Sub Domain
Election Observation
Source of Reform Proposals
Electoral Reform Commission
Reform Proposed
Reform Proposed
Reform Initiated
Reform Initiated
Legal and Policy Framework
Legal and Policy Framework
Operationalisation
Operationalisation
Action Implementation
Action Implementation
Stage of Implementation
Reform Proposed
Reform Proposed
Last Update: 14-Dec-25
This reform proposal has been articulated in the Electoral Reform Commission Report but has yet to be officially initiated.
Reform Initiated
Reform Initiated
Last Update: 14-Dec-25
EC will revise observation guidelines and initiate stakeholder consultations with observer networks and media.
Legal and Policy Framework
Legal and Policy Framework
Last Update: 14-Dec-25
Election Observation Regulations will be updated to define roles, accreditation criteria, and EC oversight.
Operationalisation
Operationalisation
Last Update: 14-Dec-25
Election observation guidelines are published in the website of the Election Commission. The list of domestic observers is also finalised.
Observation
    Observers are required to submit their preliminary reports to the Election Commission within seven days and their final reports within one month following the election date. Observers must position themselves within the polling centers for a brief duration that does not interfere with voting activities.No more than two journalists are permitted to remain within a polling booth for longer than ten minutes at a time. The local administration may allow journalists to utilize motorcycles on a limited basis.
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Related Reforms

(a) Election expenditure to be capped at BDT 10 per voter per parliamentary constituency. (b) All election expenses to be processed through banking systems or financial technology platforms (e.g., Bikash, Rocket). (c) To maintain close oversight on election expenditures of candidates and political parties, the Election Commission to set up ‘election expenditure monitoring committees’ at the constituency levels. (d) Election expenditures iled by candidates and political parties to be subjected to auditing, the candidates’ election to be annulled in case of discrepancies. (e) All election related expenses of the Election Commission to be a charge on the consolidated budget of the Republic.
Legal and Policy Framework
(a) The proposed Election Commission Act to have provisions to ensure that offenses or irregularities committed by the Election Commission to be brought to justice. (b) By amending the relevant law, to retain the provision requiring the Commission’s permission to file cases against government officers and employees, and to remove the legal barriers to conducting an investigation or inquiry in this regard. (c) To relax the prescribed time limit for filing cases under sections 73 and 74, in section 90 of the Representation of the People Order, 1972. (d) A time limit to be set for the disposal of electoral offense cases to expedite the length of adjudication and ensure timely justice.
Reform Proposed
(a) All Bangladeshi expatriates to be registered in the electoral roll and NID server as soon as possible. All biometric information and recent photographs to be updated during the registration process. Given that the current expatriate registration methods are time-consuming, effective strategies to optimize and accelerate the process to be identified and implemented. Since all Bangladeshi expatriates possess passports,information stored in the passport database to be utilized to expedite the registration. (b) If the next national election is to be held in December 2025, expatriates who can be registered in the voter list and NID server by October 2025 to be given the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election through the proposed postal voting system.
Reform Proposed
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Glossary

Last Updated: 14th December 2025

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