Bangladesh heads into a decisive electoral test Thursday as voters across the country prepare to cast ballots in the 13th national parliamentary election, being held alongside a nationwide referendum, amid heightened security, political fragmentation and lingering uncertainty over voter participation. Voting will be conducted at 42,659 polling centres, with an additional 299 centres designated for counting postal ballots, bringing the total number of centres involved to 42,958. The EC has classified roughly half of the polling centres as “important” or “high-risk” based on past incidents and local political dynamics. More than 90% of polling centres have been fitted with CCTV cameras, though officials said the final verified figure would be released after completion of checks. Following concerns raised by media groups, the commission clarified that journalists are permitted to use mobile phones for photography and video recording at polling centres.
