Violence-free local govt polls difficult: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin spoke of a history of conflict and violence in Bangladesh's local government elections, but says he does not want to see any bloodshed in the upcoming polls.

Nasir said 236 people died during the local government elections in 2016 and 103 in the union council elections in 2021, he said, citing several non-governmental organisations and media outlets at an event in Dhaka on Thursday.

"During Ershad's rule in the 1980s, there were many murders during local elections. Hospitals used to be filled with people injured in fights. This violence must stop. But stopping such violence has emerged as a major challenge," he said,
"We want to hold local government elections free of bloodshed. We want them to be held beautifully."

Preparations are underway for the elections for various positions in the local government's 4,581 union councils, 61 district councils, 495 Upazila councils, 330 municipalities, and 13 city corporations.

The plan is for elections to begin this year and to be held in stages. Nasir also called for the cooperation of political parties to organise free and fair elections.

Referring to the 13th parliamentary elections, he said: "I joined and said that I have the experience and courage to face challenges. I delivered that election by facing all the challenges with the cooperation of everyone."    �"bdnews24