Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Saturday said that the powers of presiding officers have been enhanced through law to ensure that elections are fair.

He said this while speaking at a programme at the Election Training Institute in the capital's Agargaon.

"Only if the people can vote freely will the polls be 100% fair," he added.

Election Commissioner Md Anisur Rahman said the upcoming national parliamentary election will be held in the first week of January but did not share the exact date.

"It can be said that the official activities of the national election have started through this. This is why we are all here," said Anisur Rahman.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) inaugurated the first phase of the Training of Trainers (TOT) program.

The two-month long training for election officials which started today will continue till November 30 where some 3,500 experts trained by the Election Commission will then train about 900,000 polling officials at the field level.

Two other election commissioners and the EC secretary were also present on the occasion.