Bangladesh News

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday visited the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory (BMTF), which is preparing samples of transparent ballot boxes for use in the next election.
The CEC urged the army-run BMTF to make sample ballot boxes so that they could show these to the political parties before giving final order for preparing around 2,40,000 ballot boxes.

Two election commissioners Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain and Mohammad Sahul Hossain and BMTF Managing Director Brig Mominul Hoque accompanied the CEC during the visit.

The BMTF officials made a presentation on three types of sample ballot boxes.

According to the presentation, each box will weigh 3 kg and the size will be similar to those used in previous elections.

Each box will cost Tk 1,800 to Tk 4,000 depending on the quality of plastic used. Boxes used in previous polls cost Tk 985 each.

The BMTF authorities also informed the CEC that they are capable making 2,50,000 transparent ballot boxes within 12 to 15 months.

“The time, required for preparing the ballot boxes, has no connection with fixation of the polls schedule,” the CEC said reiterating that they will not take time more than 18 months for reforms.