The Election Commission will hold the sixth and the final phase of the upazila parishad polls in thirteen upazilas today.
Voting will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break. Restrictions on the movement of all types of vehicles have been placed in the polling areas.
A total of 182 candidates, including rebel candidates from the Awami League and BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jatiya Party, are contesting in these thirteen upazilas.
Of them, 64 candidates are contesting for the chairman post, 69 for vice-chairman and 49 for the women vice-chairman posts.
Election Commissioner Mohammad Abu Hafiz said the commission has taken all preparation needed to hold the polls in free and fair manner. The commission will also monitor the polls and if any untoward incident occurs, voting will be postponed at the respective centres.
The returning officers have also been asked to deploy additional number of members from law enforcement agencies at polling centres which were considered vulnerable.
EC acting secretary Sirajul Islam told reporters yesterday that the commission has taken an initiative to ensure a peaceful environment in polling areas so that the voter can cast their votes.
Around 20,000 police personnel are expected to be deployed at the 13 upazila parishads.
According to the Election Commission, of total 1,845,133 voters will cast their votes in the polls where 930,046 are women. The commission has also set up 746 polling centres and 4,930 polling booths for holding the polls.
For maintaining law and order, the army, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, police, Ansar and VDP have been stationed in the polling areas and 52 executive and 13 judicial magistrates will also be present.
Narayanganj Bandar Upazila Parishad election was postponed earlier following a High Court order. The election to newly-formed Patuakhali’s Rangabali upazila will be held on June 19.
