4th phase of Upazila polls underway

The fourth phase of local government elections has got underway in 91 Upazilas of 43 districts amid tight security against a backdrop of widespread violence in the previous phase.

The polling, which began at 8am on Sunday, will continue till 4pm.

Initially, polling was to be held in 93 Upazilas on Sunday but polling for Sunamganj’s Jagannathpur and Sherpur’s Sadar Upazila has been postponed following a court order.

Polling is being held in 5884 voting centres.

Around 14 million voters are expected to cast their votes to elect a chairman, a general vice chairman and a woman vice chairman in each Upazila.

A total of 1,186 candidates are in the fray in the fourth phase. Of them, 447 are vying for chairman, 311 for general vice chairman and 519 for women vice chairman’s posts.

BNP, which took the lead in the previous three phases, has been alleging government pressure on their candidates. Polls have so far been held in 294 Upazilas out of 487.

It is widely feared that the fourth phase would see large-scale violence like in the third phase that saw more violence than the previous two phases.

The BNP has also questioned the role of the Election Commission, saying it was being unfair towards the party. Besides, they alleged the Commission was reluctant in ensure voters’ security.

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

“Shoot-at-sight order has been issued to law enforcers to foil any attempt to snatch ballot boxes,” 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 to do so will be tracked down. No leniency will be shown,” he said, urging the political parties not to interfere in the polls in any manner.

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

Mobarak said they had 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 there is any act of violence 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 overseeing the polls in Ahmad's absence, said violence was occurring in the polls - which generally used to be apolitical - because of political interference.

“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 was 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.