Staff Reporter :
Elections to the bifurcated Dhaka City Corporation will be held before June this year, said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed.
“We will hold Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) elections before June,” CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad told journalists at a press briefing at his secretariat office on Thursday.
Earlier in the morning, the Election Commission (EC) held a meeting with the high officials of the ministries of home and education to discuss the overall law and order before fixing the date Contd on page-11- Col-1
of DSCC and DNCC elections. “The EC wants to hold the DSCC and DNCC elections before the month of June considering rainy season,” the CEC said. As we are ready, the schedule is likely to be announced this month, he said.
“Elections to be held before the month of Ramadan as the fasting likely to begin on June 18 or 19 next,” he said.
The CEC said elections might be held simultaneously during the holding of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations. The HSC examinations are scheduled to begin April 1 and continue till June 11.
“If we want to hold the DSCC and DNCC elections in next month (April), we will have to announce the schedule within this current month. We need 37 days for holding the elections procedure after the announcement of schedule,” Kazi Rakibuddin said.
He said the EC needs five days for arranging the elections and the elections may take place during the gap of HSC and equivalent examinations.
“The last Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) elections were held in the month of June. During that time, most of the polling centres went under rainwater,” he mentioned.
Replying to a query about the opinions of the Home Ministry, the CEC said the members of law enforcing agencies informed the EC that the law and order situation is getting improved.
“The high ups of different law enforcing agencies told us that the law and order situation is improving gradually. And the prevailing situation will improve in the future. So, there will be no difficulties in holding the elections,” Kazi Rakibuddin said.
He said the high ups of the law enforcing agencies also told them that they have intensified the intelligence’s surveillance following the violence, including bomb attacks, across the country since January 5.
“If it is needed to ensure law and order during the voting, army would be deployed,” the CEC said.
When asked about the opinions of the Education Ministry, the CEC said the high ups of the ministry told them that the HSC examinations are scheduled to begin on April 1 and will continue till June 11.
“But Education Ministry will have to take HSC and equivalent examinations on Friday and Saturday due to hartal and blockade programmes. Except Friday and Saturday, the high ups of the Education Ministry requested the EC to hold elections on any other day,” he said.
Replying to a question about whether the election schedule of bifurcated DCC and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) elections will be announced on the same day or not, the CEC said no decision has been taken regarding the issue till date. The last election to the CCC was held in 2010.
“The EC will take decision regarding the CCC election schedule soon,” he added.
The last election to the undivided DCC was held on April 2002, and its tenure expired in May 2007.
But the DCC election could not be held in time for various reasons, including the then state of emergency and complexities regarding boundary demarcation.
The Ministry of LGRD last month had removed the complexity regarding boundary demarcation and requested the EC to take necessary steps for holding the DCC polls.
Election Commissioners Abdul Mobarak, Abu Hafiz, Brigadier General (Rtd) EC commissioner Javed Ali and Mohammad Shah Newaz, Senior Secretary of Home Ministry Mohammad Mozammel Haque Khan, EC Secretary Sirajul Islam, Education Ministry Additional Secretary Shwapan Kumar Sarder, Principal Staff Officer Lieutenant General Abu Belal Mohammd Shafiul Haque, Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral M Mokbul Hossain and National Security Intelligence Director General Major General Shamshul Haque attended the meeting.
Besides, Additional Inspector General of Police (Special Branch) Mohammad Javed Patwari, Additional Inspector General (Police Headquarters) Mohammad Mokhlesur Rahman, Rapid Action Battalion Director General Benzir Ahmed and concerned officials of EC were present.
