Staff Reporter :
As per scheduled, the third phase of fifth upazila Parishad election will be held today in 25 districts.
The EC announced it on February 14, the schedule for voting in 127 upazilas in the third phase, but balloting will be held in 117 upazilas on Sunday.
Election will not be held in 10 upazilas, as candidates have been elected unopposed in six, the EC and
the Court postponed elections in two upazilas each.
Besides, the EC has decided to use electronic voting mchines (EVMs) in the third phase to minimise irregularities. EVMs will be used in all centres of the six upazilas.
The polling will take place from 8 am to 4 pm without any break.
To hold the third phase of polls in a free and fair manner, the EC will send ballot papers and other election materials to polling centres in the morning of the voting day so that there are no irregularities before voting begins.
“All the necessary preparations have been taken to hold the third phase election in a peaceful manner like the first phase and second phase elections,” EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said.
The EC has withdrawn three Upazila Nirbahi Officers and nine officers-in-charge (OCs) of 10 police stations from the duty of the third phase polls, he said.
Additional personnel of the police, RAB, BGB, Ansar-VDP, Coast Guard and the APBN have been deployed for five days to maintain law and order.
The EC imposed a ban on plying of motorcycles and motorised vehicles. Restrictions on motorbikes came into effect two days ahead of the day of polls and banned showing and carrying of licensed arms seven days before the elections. The restriction will be applicable to motorised three-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, motor-bikes, cabs, microbuses, jeeps, pickup vans, private cars, buses, trucks, tempos, easy bikes and locally manufactured vehicles. The ban on movement of motorcycles will be relaxed on inter-district roads, highways and connecting roads.
Besides, vehicles of all officials performing election duty and law enforcement agencies, ambulances, fire service and civil defence, electricity, gas and telecom will be kept out of the purview of the restriction.
The 117 upazila parishads are in 25 districts of Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Mymensingh, Dhaka and Chattrogram divisions. The fourth phase of upazila parishad polls will be held on March 31 and the last phase is likely to be held on June 18. This is the fifth UP elections being held. The first upazila elections were held in 1985, followed by 1990, 2009 and 2014. The last polls were held in six phases.
