The Election Commission (EC) will review and, if necessary, amend the guidelines for journalists, as their cooperation is crucial for ensuring transparent elections, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said on Thursday.
The assurance came at a views-exchange meeting between the EC and the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED).
At the event, journalists covering election news demanded a revision of the “Guidelines for Journalists/Media Personnel Assigned to Cover Election News 2025,” which the EC issued last July ahead of the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for early February 2026.
Speaking at the meeting, Masud emphasized the role of the media in ensuring transparency. “We all want a transparent election. For this, your cooperation is extremely important. No wrongdoing will be patronized. We may make mistakes, but we will not tolerate any injustice. So, we seek your (journalists’) cooperation,” he said.
Addressing the RFED’s written proposals, Masud said the commission would review the demands.“We’ll do whatever is best for both sides, for the people, and for holding a fair and transparent election,” he said.
He reiterated that while mistakes might occur, injustice would not be tolerated, and pledged steps in the best interest of journalists, the commission, and the public to ensure free and fair elections.
Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker acknowledged the prevailing trust deficit regarding elections.
“The crisis of trust is our national crisis. I cannot say in isolation that someone is bad and I am good. And you cannot say that I am bad and you are good. In this situation, the first thing our Election Commission is saying is that trust must be restored,” he said.
“We should cooperate with each other so that we can hold a good election… since the main objective is the same for all of us. I think that these can be resolved later through discussion,” he added.
Two other election commissioners, Tahmina Ahmad and Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Fazal Md Sanaullah, along with EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, also spoke at the event.
RFED President Kazi Emad Uddin Jebel presented the journalists’ proposals and handed them over to the EC. The session was moderated by RFED General Secretary Golam Rabbani.
