The Election Commission (EC) has issued a gazette notification outlining the code of conduct for political parties and candidates ahead of the upcoming 13th national elections.
According to the gazette, political parties and candidates will not be allowed to use posters during election campaigns. It also makes it mandatory for all parties and candidates to announce their election manifestos on a single platform and submit undertakings to abide by the code of conduct.
The code stipulates that violations may result in a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and a fine of Tk 150,000 for both the candidate and the political party. Additionally, under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), candidacy may be cancelled for breaching any provision of the code.
The new rules also prohibit the use of drones during election campaigns and bar campaigning abroad. Candidates are restricted to using no more than 20 billboards within their respective parliamentary constituencies.
The gazette, titled “Political Parties and Candidates’ Code of Conduct, 2025,” was signed by Senior Secretary of the EC Secretariat Akhtar Ahmed and published Monday night.
