Polling in 139 upazilas in the first phase of the sixth upazila parishad election will be held on Wednesday. Voting will start from 8 am and continue till 4 pm. The Election Commission has already completed all the preparations to hold the upazila elections in a free, fair and peaceful environment.
According to EC sources, in the first phase of the election, out of 139 upazilas, 22 will be held by EVM and the remaining by ballot. A total of 1,635 candidates are competing in this phase. Among them, there are 570 candidates for the post of chairman, 625 for vice chairman and 440 for the post of female vice chairman. In the first phase, 8 candidates for the post of chairman, 10 candidates for the post of vice chairman and female vice chairman have already won unopposed.
According to the EC, all three posts of five upazilas were elected unopposed. So there will be no need for elections in those five upazilas. The upazilas are Hatia of Noakhali district, Sadar upazila of Munshiganj district, Sadar upazila of Bagerhat district, Parashuram of Feni district and Shibchar of Madaripur district. The EC has suspended the elections in three upazilas of the hill district Bandarban as the operation of the joint forces is ongoing.
Polling station security
EC decided to deploy law and order forces in consideration of important centers and general centres. Accordingly, 17 law enforcement officers will be deployed in general centers and 18 or 19 law enforcement personnel in important centers. Besides, 19 law enforcement officers will be deployed in general centers in remote areas and 20 or 21 law enforcement officers in important centers. Considering the size of the upazila, the number of voters and the importance of the polling station, 2 to 4 platoons of BGB will perform duty in each upazila.
The Coast Guard will act as a mobile and striking force in the islands of the coastal area. Mobile and striking forces of police, RAB, BGB have been deployed for the security of voters. Ansar battalions will be deployed as mobile/striking force in polling stations for two days before polling, polling day and two days after polling for a total of five days.
According to the EC, there are 14 thousand 610 BGB members, 41 thousand 530 police and 11 thousand 883 police mobile teams in the field for voter security. Also, there are 29 thousand 220 members of the police in the striking force and other duties. On the other hand, two thousand 648 members of RAB and one lakh 59 thousand 874 members of Ansar are engaged.
Meanwhile, 400 executive magistrates are engaged to ensure compliance with the election code of conduct. And there are 139 judicial magistrates.
Measures to prevent intrusion
The Election Commission has taken several steps to control the traffic in the upazilas where polls are held on election day. Accordingly, a ban has been imposed on the movement of taxicabs, microbuses, pickups, trucks, launches, engine-powered boats and other vehicles in the respective constituencies from 12:00 pm today, tomorrow, Wednesday, to 12:00 pm on the polling day. Besides, motorcycle movement has already been stopped. The ban will remain in force till Thursday midnight.
From the announcement of the schedule to three days before the polling, one magistrate will be employed in each upazila to enforce the code of conduct and protect and prevent law and order, and one executive magistrate for each of the three unions from three days before the polling to the day after the polling. Besides, one judicial magistrate will be deployed in each upazila from two days before the polling to two days after the polling.
Total polling stations
In the first phase, 3 crore 14 lakh 68 thousand 102 voters will exercise their right to vote in 81 thousand 804 polling booths of 11 thousand 556 centers. Among them there are 1 crore 60 lakh 2 thousand 224 male, 1 crore 54 lakh 65 thousand 690 female and 188 Hijra voters.
Regarding upazila elections, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said that although there is an opportunity for upazila elections on party symbols, the candidates are fighting independently as there is no party nomination. It will be a competitive election. Due to the local government vote, we are trying our best to prevent the spread of influence of ministers and MPs. Some actions have been taken due to the spread of influence.
CEC said that the situation at the field level is being inquired every day talking to the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendents of Police. It should be ensured that the election is free and fair. The message has been given to the concerned including the Returning Officers that no one can enter the polling station and there should be no irregularities especially on the election day.
The Election Commission has decided to hold polling in 476 upazilas out of 495 upazilas of the country in four phases. In some of these upazilas, the election has been postponed due to complications in the case of declaration of schedule and the death of a valid candidate. The remaining 19 upazila parishads have not yet had their elections; the constitutional body said that voting will be held in all those parishads later.
Meanwhile, according to the schedule announced by the EC, polling will be held in 139 upazilas in the first phase on May 8, in the second phase in 160 upazilas on May 21, in the third phase in 112 upazilas on May 29 and in the fourth phase in 55 upazilas on June 5. In the first phase, 22, 24 in the second phase, 21 in the third phase and two upazilas in the fourth phase will be conducted in electronic voting machines (EVM).