Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain today spoke at a review meeting on election-related guidelines for journalists at the Daily Star Centre in Karwan Bazar. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Oct 11, 2025 (BSS) – Shipping and Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain today said that organizing a free, fair, and credible election is a commitment of the interim government.

“We want a free and fair election, and that is the pledge of the interim administration. We want to assure the people that Bangladesh will begin a free and fair democratic society with a good election,” he said.

The adviser made these remarks while addressing a review meeting on election-related guidelines for journalists at the Daily Star Centre in Karwan Bazar in the capital.

He said, “Which parties participate or not is not our concern — that is the responsibility of the Election Commission (EC). We have no political party, and we do not support any party. At least personally, I can say this.”

Sakhawat added, “Organizing a free and fair election is the constitutional obligation of the Election Commission. We will assist in whatever way the commission requires.”

On journalists’ guidelines, the adviser said, “In my personal view, informing the presiding officer before entering the polling station may not be correct. When I accredit journalists, I am already granting them permission. These are not major issues but minor ones.”

“The Election Commission should discuss such matters with journalists. We have often held consultations with the media before,” he said.

The review meeting was organized by the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) and the Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC), with support from BBC Media Action. 

Journalists at the meeting demanded the removal of provisions requiring notification of the presiding officer before entering polling stations and limiting their stay inside polling booths to 10 minutes. 

They urged that these provisions be scrapped and journalists’ safety included in the guidelines before the 13th national parliamentary elections.

General Secretary of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Kader Gani Chowdhury said, “The EC guidelines make journalists feel like statues — standing and doing nothing else. You may see outside the polling booth, but inside, you just stand like a statue! We do not do journalism to stand like statues.”

The session was chaired by BJSC President Rejwanul Haque and conducted by Member Secretary Ilias Hossain.  

The keynote paper was presented by RFED President Kazi Jebel. Other speakers included BBC Media Action Country Director Md. Al Mamun, Acting BFUJ President Obaidur Rahman Shahin, and RFED General Secretary Golam Rabbani, among others.