Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal and all four election commissioners have resigned from their posts.

The CEC made the announcement while addressing a press briefing at the Election Commission Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Thursday noon.

After the briefing, Awal signed his resignation paper and handed it over to EC Secretary Shafiul Azim. All the resignation papers will be submitted to the president later on the day.

Kazi Habibul Awal, along with commissioners Brig Gen (retd) Md Ahsan Habib Khan (retd), Rashida Sultana, Md Alamgir, and Md Anisur Rahman, took office on 27 February 2022.

The 12th parliamentary election, held on 7 January 2024, was conducted under their supervision, though it was boycotted by the main opposition BNP and their allied political parties.

At the press briefing, Awal said a fair election is not possible in the country without a party-neutral government.

Md Alamgir and Ahsan Habib among the four commissioners were present at the briefing.

In another event, agitated people threw shoes at the cars carrying Rashida Sultana, Md Alamgir, and Anisur Rahman while they were leaving the office.

Earlier, the CEC along with four election commissioners held a farewell meeting with other officials at the Election Commission Bhaban. Security was beefed up in and around the office.

On Wednesday, Kazi Habibul Awal held a closed-door meeting with the four election commissioners at the EC Secretariat. The hour-long discussion took place, sparking further anticipation about the EC’s future.

An EC insider revealed that the CEC and the four commissioners were preparing to resign, with plans to submit their resignation letters to the president on Thursday.

The call for the EC’s resignation gained momentum following the recent change in government, with political leaders and the public demanding the reorganisation of the EC.