CEC Nasir aims to hold ‘gender-friendly’ national election

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has expressed a desire to make the parliamentary polls “gender-friendly”, citing previous gaps in female voter registration. Speaking on Tuesday afternoon at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon, during a dialogue with women’s rights activists, the CEC said the EC’s goals go beyond holding “free, fair and credible polls”. “Just as we speak of free, fair and credible elections, I want to add something from my side -- a gender-friendly election,” he told the session. Referring to Bangladesh’s demographic balance, Nasir said the number of women on the voter roll had long fallen short of expectations. “You’ll be surprised to know there were over 3 million fewer women voters than men. That’s not normal,”...