The most eagerly anticipated, and frankly hyped up, announcement of an election schedule that anyone can remember, should serve to finally quash a lot of the manufactured uncertainty that has been prevailing around the 13th Jatiya Sangshad election. On the last day of the week, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasiruddin, in a pre-recorded televised address, unveiled an election date exactly nine weeks down the line - February 12, 2026.

As we all know of course, that same arrangement will also encompass a referendum on a set of reform proposals that the currently active political parties worked out over months of meetings, with the overarching aim of devising a system where 'Fascism', or to be more specific in an age where Fascism can mean many things - a system that does not breed authoritarianism.

The CEC's announcement marks the formal start of the electoral process. Apart from the date of the election, the full schedule sets out important dates such as the cut-off for submitting nomination papers, the last date for withdrawal, etc. The official election campaign period will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before voting begins, i.e. till the morning of February 10. The announcement thus marks an important milestone on Bangladesh's journey back to democracy, that was effectively suspended almost exactly 12 years ago, with the election of a majority (154 MPs) to the 10th parliament completed without a vote being cast - more than three weeks out from the actual election.

Under CEC Nasiruddin, the Election Commission has worked quietly and diligently to rebuild its institutional credibility, in order to deliver what Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly promised will be the finest election in the country's history. It has finalised plans to have 42,761 polling centres and 244,739 booths to accommodate over 127.6 million voters' franchise rights. The EC has already published the final voter list, completed its delimitation of the 300 constituencies (a late decision of the Appellate Division may undo some of its revisions though), approved registration of two new political parties alongside assigning their election symbols (and may yet consider two more applications), and updated the electoral code of conduct.

Its most significant initiative, that perhaps will define the legacy of the 'Nasiruddin Commission', would have to be the drive to engage expatriate Bangladeshis in the electoral process 'back home', as it were. As of December 10, some 3 lakh Bangladeshis living abroad had registered to vote using postal ballots in the coming election - giving voice to an extremely important segment of the population, and empowering them in a way they never were before. Postal ballots can also be an option for current government staffers, citizens engaged as polling personnel, and people in legal custody (jail), who do still enjoy the right to franchise that is the promise of any self-respecting democracy. Right now in Bangladesh, that is our ultimate destination. In defiance of the naysayers, slowly but surely, we are getting there.