Postponed JS poll in Noakhali-1 tomorrow
Staff Correspondent
Election Commission (EC) will start sending all sorts of poll equipment including ballot papers, ballot boxes, seals and inerasable ink to its respective election offices throughout the country from January 14 to hold elections to 481 upazilas scheduled to be held on January 22.
Meanwhile, the commission has completed printing of around 22 crore ballot papers contains three colours for conducting the upazila election. It is expected that some 7,35,77,286 voters will cast vote to elect their respective Upazila chairman and two Vice-Chairmen.
To ensure holding of peaceful and violence free upazila election some 5,00,000 members of different law enforcing agencies will be deployed across the country. The government has taken tight security measures for the polls and members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Coastguard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Armed forces will patrol throughout the country from January 16.
The sources further said people will cast their votes through a total of 32,381 polling centres. Predicting huge turn out of voters, the Election Commission has established more 11,831 polling booths in order to smoothen vote casting.
Meanwhile, amid great enthusiasm contesters along with their activists and supporters from political parties including Awami League and BNP-led-four-party alliance passed busy schedule till Saturday late night on campaigns as the stage is now set to hold the postponed national parliament election to Noakhali Constituency-1 tomorrow (Mon-day) amid unprecedented security measures.
The candidates, including Awami League and BNP-led-four-party alliance, continued their last minute electioneering before the ban on the campaign came into force yesterday midnight, 35 hours before the voting. Restriction has been imposed on plying of all modes of vehicles from today (Sunday) midnight. Besides, ban has also been imposed on motorbike from yesterday midnight till January 14, according to the Election Commission sources.
On Friday, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia addressed a big electoral rally in Chatkhil Panchgaon PG High Scholl ground in favour of BNP candidate Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon. ABM Ibrahim getting Awami League ticket is contesting the election.
“As our leader Nurul Islam succumbed to his burn injuries, we made a request the Awami League-led grand alliance leader Sheikh Hasina to give nomination to Nurul Islam’s wife. But she did not respond to our request. Even Sheikh Hasina didn’t contact us regarding the issue,” Sarafat Ali Hira, Joint General Secretary of Ganotantri Party, told The Bangladesh Today.
The election in Noakhali-1 was deferred following the death of Grand Alliance candidate and Ganotantri Party President Nurul Islam in a mysterious fire at his residence in the capital days before the December 29 elections.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com