Election Commission to use wireless network to collect results from 108 remote hill polling stations

The Election Commission has decided to use the modern network or wireless communication system of law enforcing agencies to collect election results from 108 remote polling stations accessible by helicopter sorties in the three hill districts -- Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

In this regard, the commission on Wednesday sent letters to the returning officers of the three districts, instructing them to take the necessary measures.

Under the plan, results will be collected from 20 polling stations in Rangamati, 46 in Bandarban and 42 in Khagrachhari through the wireless system.

According to the latest data from the EC, the total number of polling stations across the country stands at 42,779.

The number of polling booths this time is 247,482, with an average of one polling station set up for every 3,000 voters.

The 13th National Parliament election and referendum will be held on Feb 12.

The EC said a total of 785,225 officials will be engaged in conducting the election.

Of them, 42,779 will serve as presiding officers, 247,482 as assistant presiding officers and 494,964 as polling officers.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the number of polling stations and booths has increased as two elections are being held on the same day.

“As a result, the counting of ballots may take more time than usual,” he said.

Bangladesh currently has 127,711,739 registered voters.

Of them, 64,825,361 are male, 62,885,200 are female and 1,232 are transgender voters.

In the 12th National Parliament election, there were around 44,000 polling stations.

The 11th parliamentary polls had more than 40,000 polling stations and over 200,000 polling booths.

In the 10th general election, the number of polling stations stood at 37,707, with 189,078 booths, while the 9th election had 35,263 polling stations and 177,277 booths.