Despite the passing of 48 hours since the announcement of the 13th national election schedule, campaign materials from potential candidates continue to be displayed on walls, electric poles, and buildings at key intersections and roads throughout Chattogram city, in violation of the code of conduct.
According to the Election Commission’s directive, the deadline for removing campaign materials was set for 6pm on Saturday. While most large billboards have been taken down, posters, smaller banners, and festoons still remain across the city.
On-site inspections have confirmed the presence of such materials in areas including AK Khan, Oxygen, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, New Bridge, Kazir Dewri, Dewan Hat, Agrabad, Double Mooring, and Patenga.
Election Commission officials have warned that failure to comply with the directive to remove campaign materials will result in strict action as per the law.
“Magistrates will be deployed in the field after the evening. They will monitor the situation on-site and impose fines on anyone found with banners, posters, or festoons still displayed, in accordance with the relevant provisions,” Mohammad Rezaul Karim, additional regional election officer for Chattogram, told TIMES of Bangladesh.
According to official rules, all pre-election campaign materials must be removed at the candidate’s expense within 48 hours of the schedule announcement. In compliance with this directive, many candidates themselves were seen removing their banners and posters from various areas of the port city on Saturday. Despite the removal of some materials, a significant portion of posters and festoons remain on the streets.
Candidates from major political parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have said they are working to remove their campaign materials in accordance with the Election Commission’s guidelines.
Abu Sufian, BNP-nominated candidate for Chattogram-9, said, “BNP has great respect for the law. In accordance with the Election Commission’s directive to remove all campaign materials, including banners and posters, I have ensured that everything is removed.”
He added, “We expect the election to be held as per the announced schedule.”
Shafiul Alam, Jamaat-nominated candidate for Chattogram-11, said, “Following the rules and under the direction of party chief Shafiqur Rahman, we have removed the banners, respecting the law.”
He continued, “While we removed the large billboards and banners, we faced public backlash when we tried to take down the posters. The public questioned why the posters of Jamaat were being torn down. After explaining the matter to them, we were able to resolve the situation.”
On 10 November, the Election Commission issued the Political Party and Candidate Code of Conduct 2025. The new guidelines prohibit any political party or candidate from holding public meetings, rallies, or any form of campaigning abroad. Additionally, the use of posters in election campaigns has been completely banned.
The new rules further specify that a candidate may use a maximum of 20 billboards in their constituency, with each billboard measuring no more than 16 feet in length and 9 feet in width.
Moreover, the revised code includes stricter penalties for violations. Any candidate or political party found breaching the code could face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to Tk150,000, or both. In cases where a party violates the code, a fine of up to Tk150,000 may be imposed. If the investigation proves the violation, the Election Commission also has the authority to cancel the candidate’s nomination.
Chattogram City Corporation’s Executive Magistrate Chaitti Sarbavidya said, “We have been on the ground since Saturday morning, removing banners, festoons, posters, and any other campaign materials we came across. If any remain after 6pm, we will take action as per the instructions.”
Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, Nazmul Mustafa Amin, a BNP-nominated candidate from the Chattogram-15 constituency, was fined Tk50,000 for violating the code of conduct by holding a procession.
