EC warns against chaos as Oikya Front prepares for agitation for fair election

The Election Commission has warned that any attempt to create chaos surrounding the announcement of the schedule of the parliamentary polls will be dealt with “necessary action” while RAB has strengthened patrol.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed’s remarks on the issue came on Wednesday on the heel of the Jatiya Oikya Front’s announcement to press ahead with its planned protest programmes ahead of the election.

The Oikya Front cancelled its Rajshahi-bound march scheduled for Thursday taking into account ruling Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina’s news conference on pre-election talks and Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda’s address to the nation.

The CEC will announce the election schedule in the address at 7pm on Thursday despite the Oikya Front’s call for its deferment, the EC said earlier on Wednesday. Hasina suspended the media briefing later in the night.

The Oikya Front threatened to march towards the EC headquarters in Dhaka’s Agargaon if the commission announces the schedule before the deeply divided politicians reach a consensus.

The Oikya Front announced that it would continue its movement after a second round of talks with the prime minister earlier in the morning yielded “no solution” to key issues like the release of BNP chief Khaleda Zia from jail before the polls and a nonpartisan election-time government.

“We aren’t aware (of the Oikya Front programmes). We will discuss the issue when we learn about this,” EC Secretary Helal said on being asked for the commission’s response to the alliance’s plans.

“The law-enforcing agencies will be under the EC’s authority after the announcement of the schedule. They will get (necessary) instruction if any situation develops,” he added.

Helal Uddin Ahmed. File Photo

The BNP, which is a key part of the Oikya Front, stayed away from the 2014 election and had threatened to prevent the polls. Scores were killed and a number of polling stations were burnt down in violence during the polls.

“We are fully ready to announce the schedule. The EC hopes that all the parties will join the polls and the ground is ready for it,” the secretary said.

He also said the ruling party supported its decision to announce the schedule on Thursday. An Awami League delegation led by HT Imam, Hasina’s political affairs adviser and co-chairman of the party’s election campaign committee, met the CEC and other commissioners on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, RAB has strengthened patrol across the country ahead of the announcement of the schedule, according to its spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan.

“We’ve reinforced the patrol so that no-one can hamper normal life centring the announcement of schedule,” he told bdnews24.com on Wednesday.

RAB-2 deputy commander Mohammad Ali said his teams patrolled the Jahangir Gate, Farmgate, SAAR Fountain, New Market and Dhanmondi areas.

“Any bid to carry out acts of sabotage will be tackled firmly,” he said.