How Elections Work
A short guide to how national elections work in Bangladesh.
Who runs elections
The Election Commission, an independent constitutional body, is responsible for organising and overseeing elections, including registering voters, setting the rules for candidates and parties, and announcing results.
The basics
- Members of parliament are elected from single-member constituencies. The candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins that seat.
- To stand as a candidate, a person generally needs to meet age, citizenship and other eligibility requirements set by law, and is often required to be nominated by a registered political party or to run independently, meeting the relevant conditions.
- Elections are held on a fixed schedule set by the constitution, though this can be affected by extraordinary circumstances. [TO VERIFY: current term length and any recent changes to the electoral system before publishing.]
Voting and results
Eligible citizens vote at a designated polling centre. After polls close, votes are counted at the polling centre, and results are compiled and announced by the Election Commission. Anyone can report a problem they witness under Election Watch or by reporting an election irregularity.
Local government elections
Separate elections are held for local government bodies, covering city corporations, municipalities and union parishads, with their own rules and timelines.
Where to look further
Election Watch · Elections database · Report an irregularity