The Election Commission (EC) has imposed a 24-hour restriction on the movement of trucks, pickup vans, microbuses and taxi cabs on polling day, while motorcycles will face a three-day ban, ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election to ensure smooth voting and maintain law and order.
The directives were issued in a letter signed by Mohammad Monir Hossain, deputy secretary of the EC's Election Management Wing, and sent to the Road Transport and Highways Division on Tuesday, requesting necessary measures for enforcement.
According to the instructions, the restriction on trucks, pickup vans, microbuses and taxis will remain in force from midnight on February 11 to midnight on February 12, the designated polling day. Motorcycle movement will be prohibited for 72 hours, from midnight on February 10 to midnight on February 13.
However, the ban will be relaxed for emergency and special services. Exempted vehicles include those used by law enforcement agencies, armed forces and the administration; vehicles of accredited observers and media organisations; ambulances and other medical service vehicles; vehicles carrying passengers to and from airports upon presentation of tickets; long-distance public transport; one vehicle per contesting candidate and their election agent with approval from the returning officer; and vehicles operated by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and licensed telecom operators.
The EC said restrictions would also be relaxed on national highways, ports and key inter-district or metropolitan entry and exit routes. District magistrates or metropolitan police commissioners may impose additional restrictions or grant further relaxations depending on local conditions.
Meanwhile, the EC has taken special measures to expedite the transmission of election and referendum results. Presiding officers will be allowed to send vote counting statements directly to the EC Secretariat by post without bearing any postal cost.
In a separate letter signed by Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain of the Election Management-2 Wing, the EC requested the Directorate General of the Postal Department to take necessary steps to implement the measure.
Under the Representation of the People Order, 1972, presiding officers will send one copy of the vote counting statement to the EC secretary in a special envelope via insured or registered mail with acknowledgement. The postal charges will later be settled through a "book adjustment" system.
The EC has instructed that post offices remain open from 4:30pm on polling day, February 12, until completion of required work. If necessary, offices may operate overnight to ensure timely dispatch of results.
