Tug-of-war over water lily continues
EC cites emblem rules; NCP warns it won’t join polls without desired symbol
22 October 2025, 18:19 PM
News Analysis / Consensus to reform: Will this one stick?
Most of the political parties have signed the much-discussed and long-awaited July National Charter -- a landmark document towards reshaping Bangladesh’s democracy and its institutions.
18 October 2025, 18:11 PM
Analysis / Reform by consensus, or another consensus to reform?
Most of the political parties have signed the much-discussed and long-awaited July National Charter
18 October 2025, 05:00 AM
Groundwork laid for sweeping constitutional reforms
The July National Charter, forged in the wake of the 2024 mass uprising, seeks to reshape Bangladesh’s constitution, as it proposes extensive reforms aimed at strengthening democracy and accountability.
17 October 2025, 18:00 PM
Reviving parliament, the heart of democracy
The July National Charter, born out of a compact among political parties, proposes a raft of constitutional reforms to reinvigorate Bangladesh’s parliament, which has remained weak and failed to function as an effective check on executive authority.
17 October 2025, 18:00 PM
Restoring caretaker system with more safeguards
Very few topics in Bangladesh’s political discourse have sparked as much debate or endured as long as the caretaker government system. To many, it represents not just a procedural framework but also a reliable means of conducting free and fair elections.
17 October 2025, 18:00 PM
The power tango between the PM and the president
Reforms ahead of the national election have been the most consistent pledge of the interim government. One of the core reforms, apart from reviving the caretaker government system, is to bring about a balance of power between the prime minister and the president.
17 October 2025, 18:00 PM
A dozen new laws for system reboot
It will require at least a dozen new laws and amendments to eight existing ones to implement the raft of proposals made in the July National Charter.
17 October 2025, 18:00 PM
‘Decision to use EVMs defies all logic’
Badiul Alam Majumdar discusses the controvery surrounding the Election Commission's decision to use EVMs with The Daily Star.
29 September 2022, 17:00 PM
EC plans EVM promo campaign
The Election Commission has chalked out a massive campaign to promote the use of Electronic Voting Machines among the people.
28 September 2022, 18:00 PM
Tk 642cr EVMs unusable for a lack of upkeep
At least 27,900 EVMs worth around Tk 642 crore have become unusable for a lack of proper storage facility and maintenance, show Election Commission documents.
28 September 2022, 02:30 AM
EVM fingerprint mismatch: EC plans legal cover to let 1pc voters vote
The Election Commission plans to empower the election officials to allow up to 1 percent of the voters in a polling booth to cast votes through EVMs if their fingerprints don’t match with biometrics data stored in the EC server.
26 September 2022, 18:00 PM
Zila parishad chairmen: 27 backed by AL elected unopposed
Twenty-seven Awami League-backed chairman candidates have been elected to zila parishads uncontested, which was six more than the number of unopposed winners in 2016 polls.
25 September 2022, 18:00 PM
EVM procurement, management: EC finalises massive Tk 8,711cr project
The Election Commission yesterday finalised Tk 8,711 crore project for purchasing two lakh electronic voting machines and their management.
19 September 2022, 18:00 PM
Rebuilding trust holds the key
Unveiling its work plan for the 12th national polls, the Election Commission yesterday said that gaining the trust of the political parties is a major challenge.
14 September 2022, 18:00 PM
New primary curriculum: Rolling out with unprepared teachers
Without any piloting, the government is rolling out the new curriculum at the primary level as the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) officials failed to prepare the teachers’ guide on time.
8 September 2022, 18:00 PM
Now school supplies get pricier
The prices of stationery items and study materials have gone up significantly over the past two months, putting thousands of guardians, already struggling to cope with surging prices of essentials, in a tight corner.
8 September 2022, 02:00 AM
International Literacy Day: Govt now targets 100pc literacy by 2030
After missing the target of eradicating adult illiteracy by 2014, the government is now planning to make everyone able to read and write and vocationally upskilled by 2030.
7 September 2022, 18:00 PM
EC to procure 2 lakh EVMs
The Election Commission is going to buy two lakh Electronic Voting Machines for the next national polls, spending more than 10 times what India paid to obtain its EVMs.
5 September 2022, 02:30 AM
The voice for inclusive polls falls silent
Mahbub Talukdar, who, as an election commissioner, raised a lone voice against the ills within the election commission till his retirement, died at a city hospital yesterday.
24 August 2022, 18:00 PM
EVM use in 150 seats max
The Election Commission has decided to use EVMs in up to 150 parliamentary seats in the next general election though major opposition political parties still have no confidence in the voting machine.
23 August 2022, 18:00 PM
EC set to use EVM in JS polls
The Election Commission is going to use electronic voting machines in the next parliamentary polls when almost all major opposition political parties are dead set against it.
21 August 2022, 18:00 PM
Electoral law amendment: EC ignores most reforms proposed by parties
Ignoring many of the major recommendations put forward by political parties during the recently held talks, the Election Commission has proposed amendments to electoral law.
18 August 2022, 18:00 PM
Child marriage, labour: Schoolgirls bore heavy blow in pandemic
While the Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on almost every sphere of life, one of the heaviest blows was to female secondary school students in the country.
16 August 2022, 18:00 PM
A grief they can never forget
When Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana returned to the then West German city of Karlsruhe on August 18, 1975, they were still in the dark about the full scale of the tragedy that befell their family in Bangladesh.
14 August 2022, 18:00 PM
Nothing can happen unless the govt wants
Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain is an author, analyst and a former election commissioner. Recently he has talked to Mohiuddin Alamgir of The Daily Star on different issues including electoral reforms and proposals placed by political parties during the EC talks.
12 August 2022, 18:00 PM
Call for electoral reforms comes to the fore
From a staggered national election to a proportional representation system -- the Election Commission has been flooded with a whopping number of proposals placed by 28 political parties on the electoral reforms during the recently concluded dialogue.
12 August 2022, 18:00 PM
National polls: Almost half the parties oppose EVM
Differences of opinion on the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next national polls are widening among political parties with almost half of the registered ones opposed to electronic voting.
1 August 2022, 18:00 PM