Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker has said the upcoming national election will be the most risk-prone in Bangladesh’s history.

“There is no doubt that the forthcoming election will be the riskiest among all the elections held in the country’s history,” he said on Friday (29 August) while inaugurating a two-day training programme for core trainers at the Electoral Training Institute in Dhaka ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

He stressed that the Election Commission’s foremost responsibility is to ensure a fair and credible election. “There is no alternative. Lives may be lost, but there can be no deception or malpractice in the election. Both the Commission and field-level officials must remain committed,” he asserted.

The commissioner observed that the Commission has often faltered due to the weakening of its institutional memory. He urged officials to uphold the Commission’s dignity through confidentiality and responsibility.

Reiterating that there is no alternative to a good election, Anwarul Islam said presiding officers will play the central role. “If they are made strong and efficient, a proper election can be ensured,” he added.

Highlighting the importance of training, he called on field-level officials to prepare lists of potential problems and identify solutions in advance. “If a presiding officer performs his duty courageously and honestly, a polling centre can be managed properly,” he remarked.