Fear casts shadow as all set for vote tomorrow

The 11th parliamentary elections are set to be held tomorrow with participation of all major political parties amid allegations of intimidation of candidates of main opposition alliance and their activists by ruling Awami League and police. 
Candidates and their supporters ended electioneering at 8:00am on Friday while many opposition candidates, especially those of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, alleged that they were isolated from their activists by police and ruling Awami League activists. 
Polling will be held between 8:00am to 4:00pm without any break in 299 constituencies out of 300 as election to Gaibandha 3 was suspended due to death of a candidate. 
A total of 10,42,38,677 voters — 5,25,72,365 male and 5,16,66,312 female — are listed to exercise their franchise in 40,183 polling stations where 2,07,312 polling booths have been set, according to Election Commission.
Some 1,861 candidates including 1,733 persons nominated by political parties and 128 independent candidates are contesting the polls. 
Opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia and other 26 candidates of the alliances, led by the party, are not in the race as court cancelled their candidature. 
A total of 6.08 lakh law enforcers will be deployed at polling stations for maintaining law and order.
Besides, 414 platoons of Bangladesh Army have been deployed at 389 upazilas and 48 platoons of Bangladesh Navy, 983 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh, 600 platoons of Rapid Action Battalion are on election duty in different places. 
On Friday, troops started patrolling different areas including Dhaka to aid law enforcement agencies and maintain law and order ahead of the December 30 general election.
Expressing hope that Sunday’s general election will be held in a festive mood, chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Friday urged members of law enforcement agencies to create a congenial environment so that all can cast their votes as per their choice.
‘A large number of aspirants are participating in election. I hope the election will be held in a festive mood,’ he said.
The CEC came up with the remarks while visiting the media booth at the result announcement centre of Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.
‘I call upon members of law enforcement agencies to ensure security so that minority people can go to the voting centres, cast their votes and return home safely,’ he said.
Replying to a question about the fear of opposition parties, the CEC said, ‘We’re ready to prove them wrong. The voters will cast their votes in a festive environment.’
New Age correspondents from different districts reported that armed forces personnel were seen checking vehicles at key points in different headquarters and important cities including capital Dhaka.
Candidates of ruling Awami League and its allies conducted relentless campaigns until Friday morning while BNP and its alliance candidates at many places alleged that they even could not go out of home for electioneering amid obstacles by police and activists of their political opponents and that there was no level playing field.
Besides, at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Friday, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that CEC was not allowing armed forces to work independently.
At a press conference at EC media centre, EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmed, said that the commission as well as returning officers already completed all the preparations to hold the polls peacefully as there was no doubt and fear of violence.
He said that the election would be held in a different atmosphere as the polls were going to be held under a partisan government with participation of all 39 registered political parties.
Election Commission in a letter to the civil aviation authority called for banning operation of private helicopters between Friday midnight and Monday midnight. 
The 10th parliamentary elections was held on January 5, 2014, amid boycott by most parties including BNP demanding an election-time non-party caretaker government while the 9th parliamentary polls was held under an army-backed caretaker government after about a two-year emergency.
New Age correspondents reported that electioneering and campaign materials including posters of BNP as well as Jatiya Oikya Front candidates were not visible in the respective electoral areas during the electioneering since December 10.
A total of 25,900 local election observers of 81 organisations registered with EC to monitor the polls while 163 foreign observers including local employees of different diplomatic missions, embassies and other organisations registered with EC.
Towards the end of November, the European Union and the European Parliament announced again that they would not observe the 11th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
The European Parliament stated its position on the elections in its November 15 resolution in which it expressed the hope that the elections would be peaceful, transparent and participatory so that citizens could express a genuine political choice.
According to EC officials, the EU sent a large number of election observers in the 2001 and 2008 general election but they did not do so for the January 5, 2014 controversial election.
A total of 8,874 observers from 35 local organisations and only four foreign observers came to Bangladesh to monitor the 10th parliamentary election held on January 5, 2014, while some 1.59 lakh local observers and 593 foreign observers monitored the 2008 general election.
Some 2.18 lakh local and 225 foreign observers watched the 2001 general election, 40,000 local and 265 foreign observers the 1996 (7th) general election and 30,000 local and 59 foreign observers monitored the 1991 national parliamentary elections.
A total of 1,328 executive magistrates — 652 for checking violation of electoral code of conduct and the rest 676 with striking and mobile forces of law enforcers — were deployed while 640 judicial magistrates and 122 electoral enquiry committees were on election duty.
A total of 66 returning officers, 582 assistant returning officers, 40,183 presiding officers, 2.07 lakh assistant presiding officers and 4.14 lakh polling officers have been appointed to conduct the polls.
The authorities already imposed a ban on unauthorised motorcycle from Friday midnight and other vehicles from midnight today.
For the first time in the country’s history, electronic voting machines will be used in six consistencies.
The six constituencies are Dhaka 6 and 13, Chattogram 9, Rangpur 3, Khulna 2 and Satkhira 2.
EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said that EC would send a text message to voters informing the polling stations for the six constituencies.
The commission will also announce a SMS code today for other voters intending to know their polling stations through cell phone SMS.
He said there was no reason for submitting the names of polling agents with any EC officials as well as returning officers.
He said that the EC never asked any candidates to submit the names of their polling agents as the polling agents would submit the appointment letters to the respective presiding officers before starting of the balloting.
He said that polling agents would be appointed by the candidates and the chief election agent of the candidate.
Voting at Gaibandha 3 constituency would be held on January 27.
On Friday, a good number of EC officials received threat from cell number— 01880908730.
In the message, the sender named ‘Mujhahideen’ urged the receivers to stop the polls otherwise Nirbachan Bhaban would be blown up.
When asked about the matter, EC secretary told New Age that they would investigate the matter and the message sender would be arrested.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net