THE Election Commission’s (EC) decision to deploy army to election duty has been welcomed by city dwellers and the nation as a whole as they believe that the mayoral polls scheduled for April 28 needs such measures to hold it peacefully. News report said the EC has already sent letters to the Armed Forces Division asking for deployment of three battalions of troops to guard the three city corporation polls of Dhaka and Chittagong cities for four days before and after the election.
It is reliably confirmed that the Chief Election Commissioner has written a second letter to the army headquarters asking the army that they will remain in the cantonment, and will help the Election Commission coming out from the cantonment at the request of the Commission as and when needed. So it is clear that army is not going to be deployed for the purpose of holding the mayoral election fairly and peacefully. The army presence will not be visible.
So despite use of army, many observers of the mayoral election are not sure that peaceful election will be possible. Army alone will not be able to guarantee peace and order if the government itself is not honest and serious to accept election results decided through fair election. Besides, the army will be under the control of Election Commission. This body has not shown the determination to act independently. So much will depend on how independently the army will be able to function and surely that scope will not be available if the army is not seen deployed for the election.
The fact is that the government is not confident to face free and fair election.
