In a democratic system of governance, elections are not just a formal process of transferring state power, but rather a reflection of the collective will of a nation and a symbol of political maturity. Organising a fair, free and impartial election has always been considered a challenging task in the political context of Bangladesh. To make this long-standing desire a reality and to prevent unhealthy competition from crossing the electoral threshold, the Election Commission has formulated the ‘Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates 2025’.
This code has emerged as a strict but very timely legal framework in view of the upcoming 13th National Parliament elections in 2026. It is not just a collection of rules, but a bold commitment to radical change in the electoral culture of Bangladesh. It is hoped that this rule will serve as a new guideline to eliminate the toxic fumes of money, muscle power and propaganda that we have seen in the past in the electoral arena.
The most visible and revolutionary change in the Code of Conduct 2025 has come in the form of campaigning. We have long seen that thousands of colourful posters and plastic banners are used to desecrate the entire environment during elections, regardless of city or village.
The new rule has brought a radical change in this traditional and environmentally destructive method. From now on, no candidate will be able to use ordinary posters; rather, the use of black and white banners and leaflets of a certain size has been allowed.
Behind this is not only cost saving, but also a noble objective of protecting the environment. By strictly banning any campaign material made of rexine, polythene or plastic, the 2026 elections can become a model of a ‘plastic-free’ and clean electoral environment.
This aesthetic and restrained campaign method will also have a positive impact on the minds of voters, which will allow them to elect worthy candidates with a calm mind. If visual pollution is reduced, the main focus of the election campaign will shift from cheeky advertisements to the candidate's qualifications and manifesto.
The current era is at the peak of information technology and the digital revolution. Taking this reality into account, the rules have imposed very specific and strict restrictions on the use of social media and artificial intelligence for the first time.
In today's world, 'deepfakes' or distorted images and videos have become a huge threat to change the election results. The misuse of artificial intelligence is enough to destroy the image of a candidate in an instant.
Keeping this danger in mind, the Code of Conduct 2025 has declared zero tolerance against spreading rumours or spreading false information using artificial intelligence for 'unfair purposes'. The implementation of these rules in the 2026 elections will ensure a rumour-free and clean digital campaign.
However, in this era of technology, the challenge will be to identify campaigns conducted under pseudonyms and bring the perpetrators to justice. The IT cell of the Election Commission will have to be very efficient and proactive in this regard, so that technology cannot stifle the voice of democracy in any way.
Ensuring equal opportunities or a ‘level playing field’ for all in elections is the biggest test for any election commission. Especially keeping the candidates of the ruling party free from influence and maintaining administrative impartiality is a long-standing crisis.
This time, the rules have imposed very strict rules on ‘very important persons’ like the Prime Minister, ministers and members of parliament. They will not be able to use any government vehicles, postal bungalows or any government facilities for campaigning after the election schedule is announced.
They have even been banned from inaugurating or laying the foundation stone of any new development project that could influence the voters. The proper implementation of this rule in the 2026 elections will serve as a milestone in preventing abuse of power.
When the common people see that a minister and a common candidate are campaigning under the same rules, public confidence in the electoral system will increase manifold. This is basically an attempt to bind the arrogance of power within the legal chain.
The clatter of money in electoral politics or the ‘black money racket’ is a long-standing curse on the democracy of Bangladesh. Ordinary and eligible candidates are often thrown out of the field simply due to a lack of money. To stop this flailing of money, the rules have called for strict financial discipline. A candidate cannot spend a maximum of 10 taka per voter or more than 25 lakh taka in total. This ceiling is very important, as it seeks to transform the election from a costly luxury and transform it into a public service process.
The obligation to make any election expenditure above twenty thousand taka through banking channels will ensure financial transparency. If the Election Commission can strictly monitor this expenditure limit through intelligence surveillance and audit, the path to elections will be paved for honest and qualified candidates. This can act as a powerful weapon in preventing the commercialisation of politics.
The rules this time are also very sensitive to the extreme suffering caused to the lives of the common people due to campaigning. Noise pollution and traffic congestion have become an unwritten part of election campaigns. The new rules completely ban the use of microphones before 2 pm and after 8 pm. The noise level has been reduced and the noise level has been limited to 60 decibels. Not only that, meetings and gatherings on main roads that obstruct public movement are now prohibited.
As a result, the common people, especially students, sick people and working people, will get some relief from the electoral chaos. The idea that elections are a festival not only for political parties but also for the general public is reflected here. This attempt to get out of the culture of seeking votes by annoying the people is highly commendable and in line with modern democratic philosophy.
However, the effectiveness of any excellent rule depends on its successful implementation. Ensuring 100% implementation of these rules at the field level is a very difficult challenge. Identifying the influence of influential candidates and invisible financial transactions, especially at the local level, will be a big test for the Election Commission. Many times, it is seen that even though the expenditure limit is correct in official documents, in reality, several times more money is spent.
Whether the Election Commission has the technical capacity to detect online propaganda under pseudonyms is also a big question. In addition, ignoring the pressure exerted by local influential people on field-level officials and impartially enforcing the law often becomes a life-threatening situation. Therefore, it is essential to increase the administrative and structural capacity of the Election Commission, along with the rules.
Rules 2025 are not just a bag of advice, but rather a law with teeth. It has strict punishment provisions, which can be frightening for any candidate. If a candidate or party violates the rules, a provision has been made for imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine of up to 150,000 taka. The biggest punishment is the Election Commission's power to cancel the candidacy of the candidate directly concerned under Rule 91E.
The fear of such strict action will force candidates to restrain their behaviour in the 2026 elections. We are already seeing the reflection of this strictness. After the announcement of the schedule for the upcoming 13th National Parliament elections, the Election Commission has filed 119 cases and imposed a fine of Tk 122,300 on charges of violating the code of conduct in the 21 days since January 8. There were 192 code of conduct violations in 176 constituencies, against which immediate action has been taken. This sends a positive message that the Commission is not just sitting around making rules, but is also active in implementing them.
The people of Bangladesh are going to exercise their right to vote on February 12. Around 2,000 candidates are contesting in this election. They can campaign until the morning of February 10. A meaningful election is possible only if strict adherence to the code of conduct is ensured at every stage of this huge campaign.
According to Election Commission officials, they are conducting various activities every day to maintain a fair environment at the field level so that no one dares to violate the code of conduct. If this administrative strictness continues and if political parties adopt a healthy competitive mentality, Bangladesh's electoral history will enter a chapter free of stigma.
The Code of Conduct 2025 is an expression of a modern, scientific and environmentally friendly electoral philosophy. The success of the 2026 national elections depends on the effective and impartial implementation of these rules. Only the goodwill of political parties, the morality of candidates and the uncompromising stance of the Election Commission can set a precedent for a festive and peaceful election. These rules are not just a legal document, but they are a guide to a healthy political culture for our future generations.
If we can maintain this stream of integrity, Bangladesh will be able to further consolidate its position as a strong democratic state in the world. It is now the demand of the hour to speak out against electoral irregularities and establish the rule of law. The coming February 12 will not just be a voting day, but it will be marked as the day of the new journey of democracy in Bangladesh—if we can follow every letter of this code of conduct to the letter.
*Author: Dr Matiur Rahman is a Research Consultant at the Human Development Research Centre (HDRC). He can be reached at [email protected]. Views expressed in this article are the author's own.*
