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12th Parliamentary Election

Country goes to polls today

Published : Sunday, 7 January, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 409
Staff Correspondent
The country goes to the 12th general election today (Sunday) despite main opposition BNPs boycott and violence to disrupt polls.

The main opposition BNP and some parties are staying out of the polls, which are being participated by the ruling Awami League and 27 other political parties.

Out of 44 political parties registered with the Election Commission, 16 parties are out of the electoral race.

The last 11th parliamentary election was held on December 30, 2018 with participation of two largest political parties Awami League and BNP.

The EC approved a total of 127 international observers to monitor polls.

EC sources said four from the European Union, 17 from the Commonwealth, 12 from US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), 10 from UK High Commisison in Dhaka, 16 from Japan, 10 from the African Electoral Alliance, and others will come to monitor the polls.

Besides, two international observers one Indian and one US citizen will monitor the election on behalf of the Election Monitoring Forum (EMF).

Some 119,332,934 voters (60,592,197 males, 58,739,889 females and 848 transgenders) will exercise their voting rights in 260,856 booths of 42,024 polling stations in 299 constituencies to elect 299 candidates as members of parliament from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

Voting in Naogaon-2 constituency has been postponed following the death of Independent candidate Aminul Haque.
 
The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday sent election materials, including ballot boxes and other materials, to the polling centres across the country.

Ballot papers will be sent to most of the polling centres early this (Sunday) morning.

Members of the security forces and election officials are taking ballot boxes and other equipment to the centre amid tight security.

The opposition is staying out of the race after Hasinas government rejected its demand to transfer power to a non-partisan administration to oversee a free and fair vote.

BNP and its like-minded parties have called for a 48-hour hartal (general strike), including on the Voting Day to disrupt the election.

Some 1,970 candidates, including 436 Independent contenders are running in the general election.

In 80 to100 constituencies, tough fights are expected to be seen between AL candidates and its own rivals who are running as Independent contestants.

The ruling party nominated candidates are vying in the election with Boat symbol in 266 seats, while the party is sharing 26 seats with Jatiya Party and six seats with three partners of its 14 party alliance three for JSD, two for Workers Party and one for Jatiya Party (JP-Manju).

The 26 JP candidates who are running as AL-led alliance contenders are in Thakurgaon-3, Nilphamari-3 and 4, Rangpur-1 and 3, Kurigram-1 and 2, Gaibandha-1 and 2, Bogura-2 and 3, Satkhira-2, Patuakhali-1, Barishal-3, Pirojpur-3, Mymensingh-5 and 8, Kishoreganj-3, Manikganj- 1, Dhaka-18, Habiganj-1, Brahmanbaria-2, Feni-3, Chhatogram-5 and 8, and Narayanganj-5.

Three JSD candidates running as AL-led alliance contenders are in Bagura-4, Kushtia-2 and Laxmipur-4, while two Workers Party candidates in Barishal-2 and Rajshahi-2, and one JP candidate in Pirojpur- 2.

Jatiya Party nominated contenders are officially contesting in 265 seats. The 265 JP candidates include 26 who are vying for the election as candidates of the AL-led alliance. However, some Jatiya Party contestants have unofficially opted out of the electoral race.

Some 10,000 polling stations are being considered as vulnerable centres (though the Election Commission called such stations as important polling centres). The tighter security measures have been taken for the vulnerable polling stations.

Some 800,0000 security men are there on election duty to maintain the electoral atmosphere by checking violation of codes of conduct throughout the country.

Of them, 38,154 Army personnel, 2,827 Navy personnel (19 districts), 44,912 (1,151 platoons) BGB personnel, 2,355 (70 platoons) Coast Guard personnel, 600 RAB teams and 95 RAB reserve teams, 174,767 police personnel and 514,288 Ansar men.

Besides, 653 judicial magistrates and some 2,000 (1970) executive magistrates are in the field to punish the violation of electoral code of conduct.

According to the Election Commission, some 900,000 polling officials including 42,024 presiding officers, 260,856 assistant presiding officers and some 522,000 polling officers are there to cast the ballot throughout the country.

There are 66 returning officers 64 deputy commissioners and 2 divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chattogram and 590 assistant returning officers 493 upazila nirbahi officers (UNO), 56 upazila election officers, 14 deputy directors of Local Government, 8 additional deputy commissioners, 11 zonal executive officers, five cantonment executive officers, 2 assistant commissioners (Land) and one circle officer to conduct the election.

A team of 15-17 security members will be posted to protect each polling station as the Election Commission has designed separate security plans for the polling stations located outside the metropolitan area and the stations located inside the metropolitan areas.

Outside the metropolitan areas, a team of 15 to 16 security men including two police with arms, one ansar with arms, one ansar with arms or stick, 10 ansar with sticks, one or two village police members with sticks will protect each normal polling station.

A team of 16-17 security men including three police with arms will keep reserve for each important polling station (which is considered as vulnerable stations).

Inside the metropolitan area, a 15-member security team consisting of three police members with arms, one ansar with arms, another ansar with arms or stick and 10 others ansar members with sticks will ensure security for each polling station.

On November 15, 2023, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal announced the schedule to hold the 12th general election on January 7, 2024.

The deadline for submission of nomination papers was November 30, 2023 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature was December 17, 2023.


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