Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS)- Election Commission (EC) has reminded the candidates about the code of conduct to be followed during electioneering as campaign for 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls and referendum began. 

Officially election campaign began on January 22 and will continue till 12 midnight on February 10 as all types of polls campaigns must be terminated 48 hours before polling.

Electoral Code of Conduct 2025’ for political parties and candidates stated that public meeting, rally on roads and highways would be allowed that may cause disruption to the movement of people.

“All candidates shall have equal rights in campaigning, but shall not disrupt or obstruct the public meetings, processions and other campaigns of the opponent parties or do anything that is tantamount to intimidation," the rules said.

“Before the start of the election campaign, a proposal for an election campaign program shall be submitted by the political party or candidate to the appropriate authority, and in the case of polls campaign programs of more than one party or candidate at the same place and in the same time, the authority concerned shall coordinate it, if necessary,” it also mentioned.

Written permission shall be obtained from the appropriate authority regarding the schedule and venue of the public meeting, but a written copy of the permission of the public meeting shall be submitted to the local EC office.

The ‘Code of Conduct’ said if a candidate intends to hold a public meeting, the local police shall be informed about the meeting and venue at least 24 hours before the meeting so that police can take necessary measures to ensure movement and maintain law and order.

No posters shall be used in election campaign. Non-perishable materials (such as rexine, polythene, plastic or any other material harmful to the environment, leaflets or handbills, festoons and banners) shall not be used.

No candidate or any other person on his behalf shall be allowed to affix any leaflet or handbill, festoon, on any building, wall, tree, fence, electricity or telephone pole, establishment of government or local authority, and on any public transport.

According to the electoral code no festoon, banner or billboard of any candidate shall be hung on the festoon, banner or billboard of other candidate, while no damage, distortion or destruction of the said festoon, banner or billboard shall be allowed.

The banners, leaflets or handbills and festoons used in the election campaign, except through electronic and digital media, must be black and white in color with not exceeding 10 (ten) feet by 4 (four) feet in size and the leaflet or handbill shall not exceed A4 size in size and the festoon shall not exceed 18 inches by 24 inches in size.

Meanwhile, no person's picture or symbol other than his/her own picture or symbol shall be printed on the banner, leaflet or handbill and festoon, the EC pointed out.

No procession, public meeting or any showdown shall be held with any bus, truck, boat, motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle during the poll campaign. No torchlight processions excepting for vehicles is allowed.

Excepting the party chief or equivalent office bearer and the general secretary or equivalent office bearer shall not be able to use helicopter or other aircraft for election campaign.

However, they may use helicopters for travel, but during such travel, no leaflets, banners or any other propaganda material shall be displayed, distributed or thrown from the helicopter.

No registered political party or its nominated candidate or independent candidate or any other person on their behalf shall conduct any election campaign in written or wall drawing.

No gate or archway shall be erected for polls campaigning and no material or structure shall be constructed that creates obstruction in the way of movement of the commoners.

Billboards may be used in election campaig, but the size of the campaign area on the billboard shall not exceed 16 (sixteen) feet by 9 (nine) feet. Not more than one billboard in a ward or 20 billboards in total might be displayed in a constituency.

Besides, no person shall, during election campaign, make any personal defamatory, indecent and offensive or personal character assassinating statements or any provocative or defamatory speech hurtling gender, communal or religious sentiments.

No election campaign shall be conducted in mosques, temples, pagodas, churches or any other religious places of worship and in any government office or educational institutions.

On the occasion of election, no person shall cause any damage to any citizen's land, building or any other movable or immovable property and shall not disturb anyone's peace by causing unwanted disturbance and disorderly conduct.

No one shall use any force or spend money to influence voters for or against any rival candidate, according to the election code.