United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
Army troops will move out for some areas from today for upazila election duties across the country and start their operation from January 20, two days ahead of the polls.
The troops will remain at the field level until January 24, two days after the voting, and work as striking force according to the directions of officials concerned, official sources said.
As per the decision made by the Election Commission, the army would not have magistracy power during their field operation.
The commission sources said army would stay in all upazila headquarters and take immediate step necessary if they see any situation that may disrupt the polls.
‘The Election Commission is fully committed to holding the local-body polls as free, fair and influence-free elections,’ said election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain.
Meanwhile, judicial magistrates have been conducting their operation at the upazila levels since January 16 to do the spadework for smooth holding of the elections, barely three weeks of the general election that put an end to a two-ear interim regime.
They are assigned to monitor the situation and take steps if they find any violation of the electoral code of conduct.
Out of the total 481 upazilas in the country, the commission has postponed election to Dighinala upazila in Khagrachari following allegation that a chairman candidate was forced to withdraw from the election race.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
