Election Commissioner Md. Anwarul Islam Sarkar has announced that the Election Commission (EC) is preparing to hold national elections by December. The commission is focused on conducting a transparent and fair election, leaving no alternative to ensuring a proper electoral process. For the first time in the country’s history, approximately 1.6 million deceased voters will be removed from the voter list.

He made these remarks during a voter list update consultation meeting for 2025, held on Monday (February 10) evening at the Manikganj District Commissioner’s office. Sarkar informed the journalists about the update efforts and how the exclusion of deceased voters will prevent any fraudulent voting activities. The removal process has been made possible by a thorough door-to-door voter list update, ensuring accuracy in the electoral roll.

The Election Commissioner also mentioned that the commission has already conducted a detailed review of previous electoral practices and challenges. The commission is fully prepared to implement necessary reforms and take steps based on recommendations to conduct a credible election that will restore public confidence and erase past controversies.

During the meeting, chaired by Manikganj District Commissioner Dr. Monowar Hossain Mollah, several officials were present, including the Election Commission’s Private Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman, Dhaka Regional Election Officer Md. Yunus Ali, Superintendent of Police Mosammat Yasmin Khatun, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Mohammad Ali, and District Election Officer Md. Nazim Uddin.

This voter list update is a part of the Election Commission’s broader strategy to ensure that the upcoming election is free from irregularities and manipulation, with the removal of deceased voters being a key step toward ensuring transparency.