The Election Commission (EC) is considering appointing a symbolic number of returning officers (ROs) from its own officials – alongside Deputy Commissioners – for the first time in a parliamentary election in Bangladesh.
EC has begun preparing a list of qualified senior officials, primarily regional election officers and senior district election officers, with the intention of appointing a small number of ROs from within the EC during the upcoming national election and referendum, likely to be held in a single day in February, 2026, officials said.
Election experts have welcomed the move, describing it as a positive step towards strengthening the EC’s control over the electoral process.
Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker hinted that EC may appoint some ROs from its own staff in the 13th parliamentary election if suitable officers are found.
“If we find fitted persons among them, they might be made ROs,” he told UNB on Thursday.
He, however, said no decision has been taken yet in this regard.
Although EC officials have previously served as ROs in various local government elections – city corporations, upazilas, municipalities and union parishads – they have never been appointed to the role in a national election or by-election.
Former commissions argued that EC officials lack full control over the entire local administration including magistrates, different service officers and law enforcement agency members, which is a barrier for them to conduct a peaceful and fair parliamentary election.
BNP has recently demanded the appointment of ROs and assistant returning officers (AROs) from the EC officers. Several political parties, civil society members and EC officers themselves have also long been urging the EC to appoint ROs from among EC officials.
Besides, the Electoral System Reform Commission formed by the current interim government recommended the EC’s own staff shall be prioritised in appointment of ROs and AROs in the election.
If there is no adequate number of EC’s staff to perform such duty, then appointment shall be made from the administration and other cadre services, the Reform Commission’s report recommended.
Chief of Electoral System Reform Commission Badiul Alam Majumdar told UNB that the move to appoint some ROs from their own staff would be a positive initiative, noting that the EC often distances itself from responsibility for flawed elections.
“The EC usually says ROs – not they – are liable for a bad election. If the ROs are chosen from their own staff, the EC will no longer be able to shift the blame,” he said.
According to the Article 7 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) 1972, the EC shall appoint an RO for each constituency for the purpose of election of a member for that constituency; and a person may be appointed as RO for two or more constituencies.
The RPO Article also states that the EC may appoint as many AROs as may be necessary but provided that no ARO shall be appointed for more than one constituency.
On 19 November, a BNP delegation headed by its Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan at the EC’s pre-election dialogue demanded the EC to appoint ROs and AROs from the EC’s own staff in the elections to bring a positive change in the country’s politics.
“If you show courage once to take a decision that the ROs and AROs would be appointed from the dedicated persons of your EC, Bangladesh would witness a qualitative change in its politics,” said Dr Moyeen Khan in the dialogue.
The EC usually appoints an RO for all the constituencies in a district with some exceptions.
In the last 12th parliamentary election held on 7 January, 2024, a total of 66 ROs were appointed for the country’s 300 constituencies – one RO for each 62 district and two ROs each for Dhaka and Chattogram districts.
Deputy Commissioners were made ROs for 62 districts, while respective Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for the constituencies in Dhaka and Chattogram districts at that time.
The RPO article also defined the duty of ROs stating that it shall be the duty of a RO to do all such acts and things as may be necessary for effectively conducting an election in accordance with the provisions of this RPO and the electoral rules.
The RPO article 7(4) also states, “Subject to the superintendence, direction, and control of the EC, the RO shall supervise all works in the district [or constituency] in connection with the conduct of elections and shall also perform such other duties and functions as may be entrusted to him by the EC.”
