Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb Votes as Bangladesh Heads to Ballots and Referendum Across 299 Seats
After prolonged anticipation and a series of reform efforts, voting for the 13th National Parliamentary Election and a nationwide referendum is set to take place today, Thursday, across 299 parliamentary constituencies in the country.
Polling will continue uninterrupted from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm in all 299 constituencies.
In the morning, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications and ICT, is scheduled to cast his vote at Banasree Ideal School and College in Rampura, Dhaka.
This marks the first general election in post–2024 student-people uprising Bangladesh, where more than 120 million voters are expected to choose a new government through what many have described as a “ballot revolution.” However, this year’s voting is not limited to electing Members of Parliament. Alongside the parliamentary polls, a historic national referendum is also being held to grant constitutional legitimacy to proposed reforms and a new political framework.
A key focus of the referendum is the protection of citizens’ rights, including ensuring that the government cannot arbitrarily shut down the internet at will. Although legislative amendments have already been enacted—through a revised telecommunications policy and new legal framework passed under the leadership of Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb’s advisory team—the referendum seeks broader public endorsement of such reforms.
With both parliamentary ballots and a constitutional referendum taking place simultaneously, today’s vote is being viewed as a pivotal moment in shaping Bangladesh’s political and digital governance landscape.
DBTech/NA/EK/OR
