The Election Commission (EC) has estimated the cost of conducting the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum at around Tk 3,100 crore. The budget was approved on Wednesday to hold both exercises simultaneously on 12 February, EC officials said.
Of the total allocation, Tk 1,200 crore is earmarked for election management and operational expenses, while Tk 1,400 crore will cover the deployment of law enforcement agencies. Another Tk 500 crore has been set aside for the referendum, postal balloting, and other related costs. Officials noted that expenditures could rise further if necessary.
For comparison, the 12th national parliamentary election in 2024 cost Tk 2,276 crore. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed explained that the increase reflects the simultaneous holding of the election and referendum, alongside the introduction of postal balloting in addition to the traditional manual voting system.
“The expenses are naturally higher because this time we are holding the general election and the referendum together, and using postal ballots in addition to manual ballots,” he said.
The election schedule was announced on 11 December under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. For the first time, the EC will implement an IT-supported hybrid postal balloting system combining digital registration with manual balloting.
The system will be used by Bangladeshi expatriates in more than 120 countries. It will also apply to government employees posted outside their constituencies, polling officials, and individuals in legal custody within Bangladesh, marking a major step in modernising the voting process.
