Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission has directed the Ministry of Public Administration to declare February 1 as a public holiday in Dhaka city on the occasion of the Dhaka North and the South city corporations election.
The EC issued a notice signed by its Deputy Secretary M Atiar Rahman in this regard on Tuesday.
According to the notice, a general holiday will be observed in the DNCC and the DSCC areas on February 1 on the occasion of the two- city elections.
As such, all the government and the non-government offices, organisations and institutions will remain closed, it said.
EC also imposed restrictions on the movement of vehicles during the city polls.
No motorcycles will be permitted in electoral areas from 12am of January 31 until 6pm of February 2.
There will also be a ban on auto-rickshaws, taxies, microbuses, jeeps, pickups, buses, trucks and other passenger transports between 12 am and 6 pm on Feb 1.
The EC has directed the Road Transport and Highways Division to implement the restrictions.
The ban may, however, be lifted for candidates or their agents and election observers with ID cards, if they manage to secure permission from Returning Officers.
Restrictions will also be relaxed for private cars (excluding rented cars, taxis and app-based rides) and cars for the benefit of people with disabilities.
The ban will not be applicable to journalists with accredited identity cards, officials assigned to election duties, members of law enforcement agencies, election observers and officials engaged in emergency services, such as ambulance, fire service, electricity, gas, post and telecommunication services. The authorities may ease the ban for the transportation of emergency goods, medicines, foods and the like on national highways or ports.
Restrictions will also be relaxed on strategic roads and highways leading into and out of the city.
Besides, all factories and commercial offices located in the election areas will remain closed on the voting day, it added. On January 18, the EC shifted the Dhaka City Corporation election date to February 1 in the face of mounting pressure from various quarters as the previous date, January 30, coincided with Saraswati Puja.
