Journalists and election observers will be permitted to carry mobile phones inside polling stations during the 13th National Parliamentary Election, Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said on Monday.
He made the clarification while speaking to reporters after inspecting the results booth at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka.
The commissioner’s remarks came amid growing concerns from media representatives over access and restrictions during polling. Allowing mobile phones, he said, would facilitate real-time reporting and monitoring of the electoral process.
The 13th National Parliamentary Election is scheduled for February 12, with the Election Commission stressing transparency and accountability in its preparations.
Earlier, the Election Commission had imposed a ban on carrying and using mobile phones within a 400-yard radius of polling stations on polling day, with limited exceptions. Under that directive, only three categories of personnel were allowed to carry mobile phones inside polling stations: the presiding officer concerned, the police officer in charge of security at the station, and two Ansar members (Embodied Ansar/General Ansar/VDP) assigned to operate the ‘Election Security 2026’ application.
The EC had issued a letter to 69 returning officers—including the divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chattogram, deputy commissioners of all 64 districts, and the regional election officers of Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna—directing them to ensure strict implementation of the decision.
The earlier directive had stated that candidates and journalists would not be permitted to carry or use mobile phones within the 400-yard perimeter of polling stations on polling day, triggering criticism from journalist bodies.
Following the EC’s letter, the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) met Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Monday and protested the restriction on journalists carrying mobile phones inside polling stations.
RFED President Kazi Jebel said the forum informed the Election Commission that such a decision would create obstacles to press freedom and undermine election transparency.
“Such a decision would hinder the transparency of the election and restrict media freedom. Mobile phones are an indispensable tool for journalists to perform their professional duties,” he said.
The Election Commission announced the election schedule on December 11 last year, setting February 12, 2026, for the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order to be held simultaneously.