CEC ‘concerned’ over 4th phase of UZ polls

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad has directed all local election officials to put in their best efforts to ensure a free and fair voting in the fourth phase of the Upazila Parishad polls.

Moinul Hoque Chowdhurybdnews24.com
Published : 22 March 2014, 12:36 PM
Updated : 22 March 2014, 01:22 PM

A ‘concerned’ CEC, who is currently visiting the United States, sent an e-mail to the Election Commission (EC) on Friday in this regard.

bdnews24.com has got a copy of the e-mail sent only two days ahead of the fourth round of the staggered local government body election.

Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed (File Photo)

The balloting is scheduled to be held at 91 Upazilas in 43 districts on Sunday.

After a meeting on Saturday, the EC sent his directives to the grassroots-level officials including returning officers, deputy commissioners, and superintendents of police, divisional commissioners, deputy inspectors general of police and metropolitan police commissioners of all districts and cities where the polls will take place.

After the third phase of balloting on Mar 15 marked by violence, clashes, snatching and burning of ballot boxes and ballot papers, there is apprehension that similar incidents will occur in the fourth leg too.

The CEC went to the US earlier this month. He is expected to return next month.

Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad in the mail said the personal efforts of the local officials had ‘greatly helped the commission in holding the previous elections, barring a few incidents, in a free and fair way’.

Two persons had died in polls-related violence in Bagerhat and Shariatpur’s Naria during the third phase of voting at 81 Upazilas in 41 districts on Mar 15.

A man was also killed in a clash between police and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters at Noakhali’s Sonaimurhi during the second phase. The first round of polls was also marked by sporadic violence.

The EC, however, has been putting on a brave face, claiming all the balloting were ‘peaceful’ despite some ‘isolated’ incidents of violence.

Ahamd in the mail wrote, “Your (EC officials) leadership is a very crucial factor in energising the official/troops under your command and making them work sincerely and effectively to carry out the duties assigned to them.”

“My colleagues and I in the commission sincerely hope that you will put in your best efforts so that the remaining elections can be held in a better way.”

“No violation of the electoral code of conduct should be allowed to go unpunished and whoever be the violator, prompt action should be taken against him.”

The CEC then asked to ‘communicate the message down the line so the elections could be held in absolutely free and fair manner’.

In the first three rounds of polling, candidates backed by the BNP, Jamaat and their allies won chairman posts in 153 Upazila Parishads while the number was 121 for the ruling Awami League.

Apart from these, two from the Jatiya party, six from Chittagong Hill Tracts-based Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti (PCJSS) and three from the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) also won chairman posts in the first three legs.