Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
Panic gripped the dwellers following frequent attacks on Mayor candidates in the three City Corporation elections started for today.
Besides, the Election Commission’s decision about army deployment during the city polls has intensified the fear among the voters.
“I want to cast my vote but frequent attacks on Mayor candidates and EC’s decision about army deployment made me upset. Yet if the Tuesday’s situation favours me I will go to polling centre to exercise my voting rights,” Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury, a noted academic, told The New Nation on Monday.
However, he alleged that the EC has failed to ensure level playing field for all candidates. “I will just observe the situation on Tuesday. If the congenial atmosphere prevails during voting only then I will cast my vote,” said Nazrul Islam, a former government official living in city’s Uttara area.
Talking to The New Nation, Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said he would go to the polling centres for casting his votes.
‘We all citizens of the capital Dhaka expect a free, fair and credible elections will be held on Tuesday. However, we also are panicked as army personnel will not be deployed on the day,” he said.
Asma Akter, a resident of the city’s Khilgaon area, told The New Nation on Monday that she feels insecure to go to polling centre as there were series of clashes took place in the last few days centering the election.
“As the army personnel will not patrol on the voting day, I along with my family members don’t feel comfort to go to outside of the home for casting votes,” she said.
They said polls related violence continued to take place in the last few days during electioneering but the offenders have not been traced yet raising question about the neutrality and fairness of the EC.
Apart from these, police have identified 1,429 out of 1,982 polling centres as vulnerable in the capital triggering fear over holding a peaceful poll.
The number of vulnerable centres are is 591 out of 719 in Chittagong.
Police have identified 1,429 out of 1,982 polling centres in the two city corporations in Dhaka as vulnerable while 591 out of 719 in Chittagong.
Over 150 contract killers and hooligans are now active in polling centres in the capital and in port city Chittagong. They are threatening and attacking supporters of rival councillor candidates. So, clashes may take place centering the city polls, intelligence sources said.
