Most expensive election in Bangladesh history

Bangladesh is set to conduct the most expensive general election this time with a budget of TK 2276.22 crore, which is almost double than the 11th General Election in 2018.

 "Off these amount TK 1,225.62 crore would be spent for the law-enforcing agencies, it means that the Election Commission would pay TK 7,22 crore and 61 thousand for a single polling center," according to the Election Commission (EC).

"The law-enforcing agencies have urged the Election Commission (EC) to allocate TK 1,225 crore and 62 lakh to meet up their expenses during polling time. To conduct the election we need to invest more in maintaining the law and order across the country," a senior official of the EC said preferring anonymity.

According to the EC, it spent more than Tk 700 crore in 11th general elction, TK 300 crore to conduct the 10th general election in 2014.

"During the 9th general election, that was held in December 29, 2008, EC spent TK 165 crore, in 8th and 7th general elections, the EC spent TK 72.71 crore and TK 11.47 crore respectively. In the 6th general election the cost was TK 37 crore, and in 5th and 4th general election time, EC spends TK 24.37 and TK 5.15 crore, respectively," the official said.

In the first general election, held on March 7, 1973, the EC spent TK 81.36 Lakh, in the second and third general election period it successfully conducted the elections with a budget of TK 2.52 crore and TK 5.16 crore, the official added.

"Nearly 800,000 police, paramilitary and police auxiliaries will guard the polls on election-day. Army, Navy and Air Force have also been deployed, a total of 1,151 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed across country, in preparation for the national election today (Sunday), the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has deployed 700 patrol teams across the country to ensure security while as many as 127 foreign observers will track the election process," official said.

However, the BGB will work as mobile and striking force to assist local civilian administration from 29 December to 10 January, to ensure security across the country. And the EC will bear all expenses through taking money from the Finance Division.  

"As per rule, the EC has to arrange all the funds for food, fuel for the patrolling and all subsistence money or other allowances of the law-order forces during poll time or up to the time the EC asked them to stay on ground. This time the budget for food has became double, the number of voting centers has also been increased so we need more support from them this time," EC official said.

"Initially, the EC wants a TK 647.91 crore as food allowance for conducting the 11th general poll, but this time, it wants TK 497.80 crore more for this same purpose, in the same way EC wants a extra allocation of TK 229.62 crore from the Finance Ministry for transportation purpose," the official said.

The Election Commission has increased the amount of allocation for the Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, magistrates, the temporary offices of the law enforcement officials and employees and Ansar members.

In a major development, the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is boycotting the poll after demanding Sheikh Hasinas resignation as the party wanted a caretaker government to administer the election and took up its position against the poll with its other allies. Violence erupted following the announcement.

Nearly 2,000 candidates are vying for the 300 directly elected parliament seats this time. There is a record 5.1 per cent women candidates in the fray. However, there are 436 independent candidates in the race, the most since 2001. The BNP claimed that the Awami League has propped up "dummy" candidates to try to make the election look credible.