The Election Commission has decided to strengthen security for the chief election commissioner considering the ongoing political crisis and violence.
The EC yesterday sent letters to the Home Ministry and Police Headquarters seeking an additional security on an emergency basis for the Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.
The EC also sent a letter to the director general of Ansar and VDP Directorate asking for deployment of at least six armed Ansar men at every election office across the country as part of ensuring security.
On Monday, four cocktails exploded near the EC secretariat, prompting shopkeepers around the commission to down their shutters.
A senior EC official seeking anonymity told the Dhaka Tribune the commission decided to beef up security for the CEC considering the overall situation.
EC officials said about 16 election offices in eight districts had come under attack till yesterday.
The commission expressed concern about its field-level offices across the country in Monday’s commission meeting.
Separately, police yesterday recovered the body of an employee of election office under Sutrapur police station from the capital’s Segunbagicha.
At present, six police members are now on duty for the protection of the CEC. Of the six, one accompanies the CEC from and to his office followed by the security squad.
Three police members and two Ansar men are entrusted with the protection of each election commissioner.
Former election commissioners Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain also got police protection, but this was withdrawn before their term in office ended.
