The Home Ministry wants Tk69 crore to deploy 73,730 policemen to the 233 municipalities where elections will be held, Tk14 crore more than the Election Commission (EC) has available to pay for law and order expenses.
The EC’s law and order allotment is Tk55 crore out of a Tk100 crore budget to conduct the elections and provide security.
A letter to the EC sent yesterday by the Home Ministry, signed by Assistant Secretary Jahangir Alam, demanded an advance allotment for the police to maintain law and order for the municipal polls. With the permission of the EC, the Home Ministry is expected to issue a circular regarding the allotment today.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg as there will likely be more demands for funds by law enforcement agencies.
The EC has not yet received funding requests from Border Guard Bangladesh, the Coast Guard or the Ansar, all of whom are expected to send their proposals soon, an official of the EC budget department said.
The official, asking not to be named, told the Dhaka Tribune that the EC would not allot more than the Tk55 crore fixed for law and order expenses.
The Home Ministry letter breaks down the advance allotment expenses in the following manner – Tk11.42 crore for allowances, Tk36.12 crore for transportation, Tk5.58 crore for dry food, Tk8.95 crore for intelligence operations and Tk6.50 crore for other expenses.
The draft circular of the Home Ministry proposes 81 teams of Rapid Action Battalion and one platoon of BGB to be deployed in 102 municipalities. It also recommends deploying six Coast Guard platoons to six municipalities.
Additionally, the draft proposes a striking force and a mobile team in every one of the 233 municipalities where polls will be held.
VIPs warned off polls code violations
Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz yesterday warned Very Important Persons (VIPs) – including lawmakers – not to violate the election code of conduct, at a press conference in his office in the EC secretariat in Dhaka.
In response to allegations of code of conduct violations by VIPs, he said warning letters would not be issued against violators.
Instead, returning officers were asked to take immediate action if needed.
“We have asked returning officers to go for direct action through the magistrates if the code of conduct is violated as there is now no time to issue warning letters,” Shah Newaz said, adding: “The environment for the coming polls are under control. We have told our returning officers to take immediate action, no matter who the violators are.
“They have our assurance that we will cooperate with them regarding any action they may take against violators.”
