The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has proposed a Tk465 crore infrastructure project to bolster preparations ahead of the anticipated 2026 national election.
The project, titled “Construction of Server Stations and Election Offices for Electoral Database Management”, aims to build new server station buildings and election offices in different parts of the country to support regular updates of the photo-based voter list and improve data management.
According to Planning Commission sources, the initiative seeks to establish infrastructure at upazila, district, and regional levels, filling critical gaps left by a previous project that failed to complete 66 server stations due to land disputes and the creation of new administrative units.
The EC argues that the absence of permanent infrastructure in many areas has slowed voter registration, national ID issuance, and electoral data storage, as these functions often rely on temporary setups or outdated facilities. The new project is designed to address these weaknesses by providing modern, purpose-built offices.
The Development Project Proforma (DPP) outlines that the project will be entirely government-funded, running from July 2025 to June 2028. Within this period, the EC plans to construct one regional election office, three district election offices, and 46 upazila-level offices equipped with dedicated server stations. Additionally, land will be acquired for 16 metropolitan thana-level election offices in urban areas.
More than half of the proposed budget — over Tk240 crore — is earmarked for the 16 metropolitan offices, each planned at 1,600 square feet. Another Tk136 crore is allocated for upazila-level infrastructure, including the construction of 44 server stations and additional office space for local election officials.
“This is part of a routine process to ensure every administrative unit has the necessary infrastructure in place,” a senior EC official said on condition of anonymity. “We already have servers in many upazilas, but where they are missing, we have proposed new construction.”
The DPP stresses that the initiative aligns with the government’s vision of building a “Digital Bangladesh” through greater use of ICT in public services. Reliable voter databases and strong infrastructural support, the EC argues, are critical for ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections amid a growing population and expanding administrative boundaries.
The Commission points to its landmark 2008 project, which introduced the nationwide photo-based voter list and national ID cards, as a precedent. That initiative created a national citizen database, significantly reducing fake voting and strengthening electoral credibility. However, 66 server stations were left incomplete due to logistical hurdles, gaps the current proposal aims to close.
Officials note that the absence of proper facilities continues to cause delays in updating voter rolls and issuing ID cards in several upazilas. “From updating the voter list to handling national ID issues, everything gets delayed,” another senior EC official said. “With the construction of these new buildings, we hope to eliminate those bottlenecks.”
The EC believes that once implemented, the project will decentralise operations, enabling citizens to access services more efficiently at the grassroots level. By improving physical infrastructure, it hopes not only to increase administrative efficiency but also to build greater public trust in the electoral process as the next general election approaches.