Dhaka, Sep 28 (NationPress) In preparation for the upcoming general elections in Bangladesh, scheduled for February of next year, the Election Commission initiated discussions with various stakeholders on Sunday, according to local media reports.

The dialogue, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, commenced at approximately 10:40 a.m. (local time) at Nirbachan Bhaban in the Agargaon area of Dhaka, as reported by United News of Bangladesh.

Attending the meeting were election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Tahmida Ahmad, Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, and Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah, along with EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed.

Later in the day, the Election Commission is set to engage with notable educationists and professors at the same venue. These stakeholder discussions are being streamed live on the Election Commission's YouTube channel and official Facebook page.

During the unveiling of the electoral roadmap in August, the commission revealed that dialogues with stakeholders—including political parties, media representatives, civil society members, observers, election experts, and participants of the July movement—would commence in the last week of September and be completed within a month and a half.

On Saturday, the Chief Election Commissioner highlighted the substantial challenges the Election Commission is facing given the current situation in the country.

While addressing the Election Officers' Conference-2025 at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka, Nasir Uddin noted that in preparing for the forthcoming general elections and addressing various demands, the EC is encountering numerous direct and indirect hurdles.

"Operating in Bangladesh is quite challenging. Especially under the current circumstances, accomplishing tasks is straightforward for some individuals but arduous for the majority. This is the situation the country is experiencing," quoted the leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo from the CEC's remarks.

Nasir Uddin assured that the EC would not issue unlawful directives to its officials nor request them to favor any particular party in the February 2026 elections.

"We will provide instructions, but no illegal directives will ever be issued. We will not instruct anyone to favor or work on behalf of anyone. Our guidance will strictly adhere to the regulations and laws to ensure proper execution of duties," he emphasized.

Bangladesh is currently facing uncertainty and political disputes leading up to the upcoming general elections.

The political factions that previously allied with interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus to oust the democratically elected Awami League government, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, are now embroiled in conflicts over reform proposals.