Staff Reporter :
The second phase of the 5th Upazila Parishad election will be held on Monday in 116 upazilas on 16 districts.
The EC announced on February 7 the schedule for voting in 129 upazilas in the second phase, but balloting will be held in 116 upazilas on Monday.
Election will not be held in 19 upazilas, as candidates in race have been elected unopposed in six upazilas. Besides, the EC postponed election in six upazilas, while court stayed polls in one upazila.
The polling will take place from 8 am to 4 pm without any break. “All preparations have been completed for holding the elections in a peaceful manner. All kinds of directives have been given to the officials for holding the elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner. No irregularities will be tolerated during this election,” Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told media on Sunday. General holiday has been announced for Monday in the respective upazilas on the occasion of the election.
He also said the officers-in-charge of Kulaura Police Station in Moulvibazar and Fulchhari Police Station in Gaibandha have already been transferred for their “biased role” instead of maintaining neutrality. Besides, the OCs of Dinajpur’s Birganj, Bogura’s Shibganj, Naogaon’s Manda and Bandarban’s Alikadam police stations have been released from polls duty over similar allegations, he also said, adding that the additional superintendent of police will perform duty in the respective police stations.
Electioneering ended on Saturday midnight with huge enthusiasm among the voters centering this polls as the election is being held with party symbols.
Restrictions on vehicular movements have been imposed in the electoral areas while additional law enforcement agencies have been deployed for five days, including two days before and two days after the election along with the voting day. On the polling day, 14 members of law enforcement agency will be deployed in every general polling centre, while 16 will be deployed in the risky polling centers.
