Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad has said that army deployment is not necessary during the municipality elections slated for December 30 as the law and order is “fully under control.”
“We do not think that there is any need of deploying army personnel during the polls. The law and order is fully under control. But we will increase the number of RAB and BGB members,” he said yesterday after holding a meeting with the top officers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the capital’s Biam Foundation auditorium.
Election commissioners, Home Ministry officials, police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and district administration representatives, and returning officers were present at the meeting. There was no representative from the armed forces.
Rakibuddin said: “BGB and RAB have said they will deploy additional members. They have full control over the law and order. For this, we do not require army deployment.”
Asked whether there is any possibility of militant attacks, he replied: “We also considered the militancy issue during our discussion. But the law enforcement agencies asked us not to worry about it.”
He said that they had instructed the polling officials to take necessary steps against the contestants who violate the code of conduct and report it to the commission.
Asked about some MPs and ministers violating election codes during campaigns for candidates, the CEC replied: “The election campaign is going on in a festive mood. Some scattered incidents took place but necessary actions were taken.”
In response to queries over hassle-free press access indicating at the haphazard situation during the Dhaka City Corporation election, Rakibuddin said that they would take necessary steps to avoid any misunderstanding this time. He further said that the number of risky polling centres would be declared later.
