Former Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda Passes Away

Asif Mahmud | PNN Report: Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda passed away on Saturday morning (5 July) at his residence in Gulshan, Dhaka. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'un — He was 83 years old at the time of his death.

His death was confirmed by his brother-in-law, Ashfaq Kaderi, who stated that the former CEC breathed his last around 9:00 AM at home. The body has been kept at United Hospital. His funeral and burial will take place after his daughter returns from the United States.

ATM Shamsul Huda took over as Chief Election Commissioner in 2007, during the caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed, and served until 2012.

Under his leadership, the Election Commission — for the first time — prepared a photo-based voter list under military supervision, which is widely considered a landmark reform in Bangladesh’s electoral process. His commission also introduced political party registration, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and initiated dialogues for electoral law reform, aiming to make the election system more modern and participatory.

His death has cast a shadow of grief across the country’s political and administrative circles, as he served during one of the most transformative periods in Bangladesh’s electoral history.