UNB, Dhaka :
Although a final decision will be made following a meeting with law-enforcement agencies on Sunday, there is
only a slim possibility to deploy the army in the upcoming city corporation elections.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, during meetings with candidates of the Dhaka North CC and Dhaka South CC last week, said they wait for the day when the deployment of armed forces in the elections would not be required.
Besides, the issue of army deployment was not mentioned in the security proposal of EC Secretariat as the commission did not engage the army in the previous city corporation elections.
EC officials said, the commission will take the final decision over the army deployment
after examining reports of returning officers, law enforcement agencies and different intelligence agencies, which will be placed in the meeting.
The Election Commission (EC) will sit with law enforcement agencies on Sunday to finalise security measures for the three city corporations’ elections slated for April 28.
Top officials from Police, RAB, Ansar, BGB and coast-guard, intelligence agencies and the Armed Force Division will join the meeting to be held at NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e Bangla Nagar area at 11am, said Director (Public Relations) of the commission SM Asaduzzaman.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad will chair the meeting, while his four deputies – Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Abu Hafiz, Brig Gen (Retd) Zabed Ali and Shah Nawaz, as well as EC Secretary Sirazul Islam, the returning officers of elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DSCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) are scheduled to be present.
Besides, representatives from different ministries concerned, including the public administration, home and education ministries, will participate in the meeting.
Prior to the meeting, the Election Commission Secretariat has already prepared a proposed security measure for the elections to three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong.
According to the proposal, some 65,000 law enforcers will be deployed to maintain law and order situation in the capital and the port city for four days from April 26 to 29.
Members of two law enforcement agencies -police and Ansar-VDP will guard the polling stations, while that of four agencies-Police, Rab, APBN and BGB will act as strike force and mobile force in the election areas.
As many as 22 law enforcers will ensure security to each normal polling centre, while 24 law enforcers will be used for each vulnerable polling station, EC officials said.
Besides, judicial and executive magistrates will lead the mobile courts to punish violation of election code of conduct before and after the balloting, billed for April 28.
However, the key decision at the meeting will undoubtedly be the one relating to army deployment. Opposition BNP-backed candidates in particular have been vocal in demanding army deployment for the polls.
Although a final decision will be made following a meeting with law-enforcement agencies on Sunday, there is
only a slim possibility to deploy the army in the upcoming city corporation elections.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, during meetings with candidates of the Dhaka North CC and Dhaka South CC last week, said they wait for the day when the deployment of armed forces in the elections would not be required.
Besides, the issue of army deployment was not mentioned in the security proposal of EC Secretariat as the commission did not engage the army in the previous city corporation elections.
EC officials said, the commission will take the final decision over the army deployment
after examining reports of returning officers, law enforcement agencies and different intelligence agencies, which will be placed in the meeting.
The Election Commission (EC) will sit with law enforcement agencies on Sunday to finalise security measures for the three city corporations’ elections slated for April 28.
Top officials from Police, RAB, Ansar, BGB and coast-guard, intelligence agencies and the Armed Force Division will join the meeting to be held at NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e Bangla Nagar area at 11am, said Director (Public Relations) of the commission SM Asaduzzaman.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad will chair the meeting, while his four deputies – Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Abu Hafiz, Brig Gen (Retd) Zabed Ali and Shah Nawaz, as well as EC Secretary Sirazul Islam, the returning officers of elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DSCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) are scheduled to be present.
Besides, representatives from different ministries concerned, including the public administration, home and education ministries, will participate in the meeting.
Prior to the meeting, the Election Commission Secretariat has already prepared a proposed security measure for the elections to three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong.
According to the proposal, some 65,000 law enforcers will be deployed to maintain law and order situation in the capital and the port city for four days from April 26 to 29.
Members of two law enforcement agencies -police and Ansar-VDP will guard the polling stations, while that of four agencies-Police, Rab, APBN and BGB will act as strike force and mobile force in the election areas.
As many as 22 law enforcers will ensure security to each normal polling centre, while 24 law enforcers will be used for each vulnerable polling station, EC officials said.
Besides, judicial and executive magistrates will lead the mobile courts to punish violation of election code of conduct before and after the balloting, billed for April 28.
However, the key decision at the meeting will undoubtedly be the one relating to army deployment. Opposition BNP-backed candidates in particular have been vocal in demanding army deployment for the polls.
