Following the opposition’s announcement of resisting the January 5 general elections, many applications have reached the Election Commission from candidates and election officials requesting security.
Many field level election officials have also submitted applications seeking relief from their responsibilities in the 10th parliamentary elections, EC officials said. However, the Election Commission has rejected these applications and asked the officials to obey their constitutional responsibility of holding the polls.
The officials said most of the requests for relief from duty came from election officials like college and school teachers who would be presiding and assistant presiding officers during the polls.
Field level officials of the commission have also requested increased security.
Election Commissioner Mohammad Abu Hafiz said the commission had asked the home ministry to provide security to the officials.
“No one can be relieved from their responsibility for the excuse of security or any other reason,” he said.
“All election officials involved with the polls must fulfil their duties as per the constitution.”
A large number of candidates also sought security from the commission.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu and former railway minister Suranjit Sengupta sought security from the EC. Awami league joint general secretary and candidate of Kushtia 3 parliamentary constituencies Mahbubul Alam Hanif wrote to the EC asking for security during his election campaigns.
Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud and Awami League candidate for Kushtia 1 Afaz Uddin submitted a letter to the commission seeking personal and campaign security. Awami league candidate for Kushtia 4 Abbdur Rauf also sought personal security.
Meanwhile, independent candidate and former information minister Abdullah Abu Sayed of Pabna 1 and Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) candidate Khalilur Rahman Khan of Barguna 1 have raised allegations against their respective local administrations of being partial.
About 290,295 election officials including presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers, have been appointed for conducting the 10th general elections.
A total of 43,685,670 voters are entitled to vote in the 146 parliamentary constituencies while another 48,280,620 voters will be unable to vote in the general elections, the EC’s statistics showed. 154 lone candidates are set to be elected uncontested.
According to the EC, 90,724 polling booths have been setup at 18,123 polling centres to hold the polls.
The commission has announced that it would use army helicopters to provide electoral equipment to 13 polling centres in Bandarban.