Interim Government to Provide Election, Referendum Services via National Helpline 333
The interim government is set to provide information and services related to the 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum–2026 through the National Helpline 333. Once the service is launched, callers will be able to access election- and referendum-related information by pressing 9 on the helpline’s IVR menu.
As part of the preparations for launching this service, a special workshop was held on Thursday, January 15, at the ICT Tower.
Organised by Access to Information (a2i), the workshop featured speeches from Election Commission (EC) Additional Secretary KM Ali Newaz, a2i Project Director (Joint Secretary) Md. Abdur Rafiq, a2i Joint Project Director (Joint Secretary) Md. Rashidul Mannaf Kabir, EC Joint Secretary Md. Abdul Halim Khan, and a2i Head of Programme Management Abdullah Al Fahim. Officials from the EC and a2i also conducted training sessions for National Helpline 333 agents on relevant operational matters.
Highlighting the importance of election-time information services, KM Ali Newaz said that citizen queries during elections and referendums are often time-sensitive, context-specific, and sensitive in nature. He stressed that merely having information is not enough—agents must be capable of delivering accurate, updated information based on verified sources and consistent standards. Any misinformation or incomplete details, he warned, could undermine public trust and negatively affect the transparency of the electoral process, making close coordination between the EC and Helpline 333 essential.
a2i Project Director Md. Abdur Rafiq noted that ensuring quick and reliable access to information is a prerequisite for organising free, fair, neutral, and participatory elections. During election periods, he said, demand rises sharply for information on voter lists, voting procedures, polling centre locations, codes of conduct, facilities for voters with disabilities, and emergency instructions. Failure to ensure accurate information flow could lead to confusion, rumours, and misinformation, potentially disrupting the electoral process. In this context, he said, National Helpline 333 will strive to play an effective role as a citizen-friendly information platform.
Addressing participants, a2i Joint Project Director Md. Rashidul Mannaf Kabir emphasised that election-time information services require more than data alone. Agents must have practical preparedness, verification skills, up-to-date information management capacity, and effective citizen communication abilities.
During the workshop, EC Joint Secretary Md. Abdul Halim Khan provided guidance on election and referendum do’s and don’ts, codes of conduct, and the importance of delivering clear, simple, and accurate responses to common citizen queries. Meanwhile, a2i Head of Programme Management Abdullah Al Fahim said the workshop would enable Helpline 333 agents and relevant officials to deliver election-related information more efficiently, transparently, and responsibly, helping to increase public awareness while reducing the risks of confusion and misinformation.
It was announced that under this service, citizens will be able to obtain information on their voter details, voting rules and procedures, polling centre locations and how to find them, codes of conduct for candidates and campaigners, voting information for expatriates, special facilities for persons with disabilities, senior citizens and women voters, emergency instructions in specific areas, as well as essential support and contact numbers. The service will also provide information on the Election Commission’s designated apps, ‘Postal Vote BD’ and Smart Election Management BD.
DBTech/RI/IM/OR
