EC warns against violence

The Election Commission has warned against any act of violence in the fourth phase of local government polls to be held at 91 Upazilas in 43 districts on Sunday.

“Shoot at sight order has been issued to law enforcers in case they spot any attempt to snatch ballot box,” Election Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mobarak told reporters at the Election Commission Secretariat on Saturday, the poll- eve.

“Don’t exert any influence because anybody trying so will be tracked down. No leniency will be shown,” he said, urging the political parties not to interfere in the polls in any way.

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He said they wrote to the Armed Forces Division on Saturday asking them to take stern steps to prevent any act of violence during the polling on Sunday after receiving an e-mail from a ‘concerned’ Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, who is currently in the United States, on Friday.

Initially, balloting was scheduled to take place at 93 Upazilas on Sunday, but polling for Sunamganj’s Jagannathpur and Sherpur’s Sadar Upazila have been postponed following a court order.

As a result, polling will take place at 5884 voting centres from 8am to 4pm.

Around 14 million voters will cast their vote for electing a chairman, a general vice chairman and a woman vice chairman in each Upazila on Sunday.

A total of 1186 candidates are in the fray in the fourth phase of the Upazila polls. Of them, 447 are vying for chairman’s posts, 311 for general vice chairman and 519 for women vice chairman’s.

BNP, which has taken lead in the last three phases of polls, has been alleging the government of exerting illegal pressure on their candidates. Polls have so far been held at 294 Upazilas out of 487.

It is widely feared that the fourth phase of the Upazila Parisahd polls would witness violence like in the third phase that saw more violence than the previous two phases.

The BNP has also been questioning the role of the Election Commission, saying it is unfair to it. Besides, they said the Commission was reluctant in ensuring voters’ security.

The Election Commission Secretariat on Saturday wrote to all the stake holders including the home secretary, inspector general of police and returning officials as well ahead of the fourth phase of polls.

Mobarak said they have contacted all the stake holders, including the army to keep the law and order in control.

The army has been asked to directly step in if any act of violence takes place within their eyeshot as per Section 131 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he said.

“This law (CrPC) has been effective since 1898. We are just reminding the army of it,” he added.

Mobarak, who is now overseeing the polls in absence of Ahmad, said violence is taking place in the polls because of political influence in the polls, which generally used to be apolitical.

“Political parties are urging their candidates to win the polls at any cost, and to do so they are resorting to violence.”

He urged all the political parties to prevent violence.

Local government elections can be held with the participation of political parties if the relevant law is amended, he added.

“If they want the party-based Upazila elections, they should enact the law that way. It is not acceptable that they will break the law they had legislated.”

The fifth phase of vote will be held in 74 Upazilas on Mar 31 and the last and sixth phase in May.