DHAKA, July 18, 2018 (BSS) – Election Commission (EC) has taken all-out preparations to hold the upcoming polls in three city corporations – Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet- in a free, fair and transparent manner.
“The EC would do everything so that the voters can cast their votes in free, fair and peaceful environment in three cities on July 30. The EC would not tolerate any sort of irregularity or laxity by the election officials,” Helal Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the EC secretariat, told BSS.
He said the commission has taken initiatives to know the situation of voting centers instantly as it did during Gazipur city polls. The presiding officers will pass information to the EC through SMS (short message service), he added.
Ahmed said the observers of EC will monitor all types of activities of election officials, candidates and their workers. One observer of EC will be deployed for every three wards, he added.
They (observers) would inform the returning officers or Election Commission if they find any type of irregularity, he said.
A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will be deployed at every ward in the three city corporations two days ahead of the polls, Ahmed said, adding one platoon BGB (Border Gourd Bangladesh) will also be deployed in every two wards in the election areas and they will discharge their duties one day more after elections.
Besides, four platoons BGB will be kept in reserve for any type of unstable situation, he added.
The EC secretary said a total of 10 executive magistrates conducted mobile courts in the three city corporation areas from June 14 to July 9.
Besides, 10 other executive magistrates are conducting mobile courts in the three city corporations from July 10 which will continue till August 1, Ahmed said.
On the other hand, 20 executive magistrates will be deployed in every city corporation to check violation of electoral code of conduct and to ensure security in the polls areas two days ahead of the election, Ahmed said, adding 10 judicial magistrates will also be deployed in Rajshahi and Barishal city corporation areas while nine judicial magistrates in Sylhet city polls areas.
Election Commission sources said a total of 3,18,138 voters are in Rajshahi City Corporation. Among them, 1,56,085 are male and 1,62,053 are female.
There are a total of 2,42,666 voters in Barishal City Corporation. Of them, 1,21,436 are male and 1,20,739 are female. Besides, in Sylhet City Corporation, there are 3,21,732 voters. Of them, 1,7144 are male and 1,50288 are female.
The sources said three-tier security measures will be taken in the three city corporations. Mobile and striking forces of police, RAB and BGB will be deployed in the election areas two days ahead of the election and it will continue for one day more after the election.
One mobile team comprising members of police, APBN and Ansar will be deployed at every general ward and one team of striking force will be deployed in every three wards. Besides, 24 law personnel will be deployed at every important voting center.
In Rajshahi City Corporation, four candidates are contesting for the mayoral post. They are Awami League-backed AHM Khairuzzaman Litan (Boat), BNP-backed Mosaddek Hossain (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed Md Shafiqul Islam (Hand Fan) and independent candidate Md Murad Morshed (Elephant).
In Barishal City Corporation, six candidates are contesting for the mayoral post. They are AL-backed candidate Sadek Abdullha (Boat), BNP-backed Md Majibur Rahman Sarwar (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed Obaidur Rahman (Hand Fan), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) candidate Abul Kalam Azad (Sickle), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal candidate Manisha Chakrabarty (Ladder) and Jatiya Party candidate Md Iqbal Hossain (Plough).
In Sylhet City Corporation, seven candidates are contesting for the mayoral post. The candidates are- AL-backed Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran (Boat), BNP-backed Ariful Haque Chowdhury (Sheaf of Paddy), Islami Andolan Bangladesh-backed Dr Md Moazzem Hossain Khan (Hand Fan), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal candidate Md Abu Jafar (Ladder) and independent candidates Ahasan Mahbub Jobayer (Table Watch), Md Ahasanul Haque Taher (Deer) and Md Badruzzaman Selim (Bus).
A total of 530 councilors are contesting in the three city polls.
EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) will be used at 10 centers in Barishal while two enters each in Rajshahi and Sylhet city polls.
Syed Amirul Islam is the returning officer at Rajshahi City Corporation while Mujibur Rahman and Md Alimuzzaman have been employed as returning officers in Barishal and Sylhet city respectably.