The Election Commission yesterday said the authorities concerned have taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of voters by appointing a sufficient number of polling officials, judicial and executive magistrates and law enforcers.

The number of voters expected to cast their votes for today's polls is 10.42 crore.

“All necessary efforts have been taken so that voters can safely exercise their voting rights and safely go back home,” said EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, adding, “Voters are going to give their mandate tomorrow [today].”

While briefing foreign election observers and journalists, who came to Bangladesh to cover the polls, he said there were still a few stray incidents that had taken place in some areas, but there were no serious violations of the code of conduct or any serious electoral offence.

However, he said these small casualties could not affect the election. “The overall situation is still friendly for election.”

He claimed that the European Union “expressed their satisfaction over the election atmosphere and thus, they did not send observers”.

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque, who was present at the briefing, replied to some queries of the observers.

Urging the foreign observers to follow the guidelines prepared for them, Helal said election observers can be regarded as judges and that observation is a vital part of fostering democracy around the world.

He told the observers and journalists that for the first time all the 39 registered political parties are participating in the election and the number of candidates -- 1,861, including 128 independent ones -- has also exceeded all previous records.

To conduct the election, he said the EC appointed returning officers (ROs), who are the chief electoral officers in their respective constituencies. The ROs will be given assistance by sufficient officers. Presiding officers will be conducting voting events in polling stations.

The EC has also appointed a sufficient number of magistrates, both executive and judicial, and deployed a sufficient number of different law enforcement agency members, including from the army, navy and air forces.

The EC Secretary said that 64 deputy commissioners and two divisional commissioners have been appointed as ROs and the number of assistant ROs is 582. The number of presiding officers is 40,183, assistant presiding officers 207,312 and polling officers 414,624.

He said the EC has deployed a total of 1,328 executive magistrates. Of them, 652 for trials of code of conduct violations and 676 will be working with law enforcement agencies.

Apart from that, the EC has deployed 244 judicial magistrates for 122 electoral inquiry committees, each consisting two judicial magistrates. 

Helal further informed observers and journalists that the total number of law enforcers deployed for election duties is 608,000.

The break up is: Police - 121,000, Ansars - 446,000 and Village Police - 41,000, Army - 414 platoons, Navy - 48 platoons, Coast Guard - 42 platoons, BGB - 983 platoons, RAB - 600 platoons and mobile and striking force - 2000 platoons. Each platoon has 30 law enforcers.

Ballot papers, voters list, ballot boxes, EVMs (in six constituencies) and all other election materials have been sent to the ROs in polling stations by yesterday evening.

The High Court today (August 14, 2022) issued an injunction restraining the government from constructing houses under the Ashrayan Project at a historical playground in Netrokona's Kendua upazila for the next three months.

In response to a writ petition, the court also issued a rule asking the officials concerned to explain why the action of the deputy commissioner of Netrokona to change the class of the playground at Balaishimul mouza for constructing houses under the Ashrayan Project should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, the court asked them to show causes why they should not be ordered to protect and preserve the Balaishimul playground. 

At the same time, the HC ordered the DC of Netrokona to prepare a report on this issue and submit it before this court in 60 days.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) Netrokona in this regard.

During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Arobinda Kumar Roy vehemently opposed the writ petition saying that among the proposed 36 houses, only 12 will be constructed in the field.

The court then said changing the class of the field while a case is pending with a lower court on this issue is abuse of power.

Bela chief Syeda Rizwana Hasan told The Daily Star that the district administration of Netrokona has illegally and arbitrarily initiated to construct houses under the Ashrayan Project by changing the class of 0.46 acres of land of the playground out of total 1.80 acres, despite the locals repeatedly asking them not to.

BNP today alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is not allowing army personnel in discharging their duties to improve the law and order situation.  

“The Election Commission is not allowing the army personnel to work independently,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed said while addressing a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka.

Citing several instances of attack on BNP candidates, Rizvi alleged, “All the incidents are taking place under the supervision of the prime minister and the chief election commissioner.” 

Rizvi also blasted Awami League President Sheikh Hasina for her comment that the opposition quarter may unleash subversive activities ahead of the election.

“It is well-known to all that AL is a production house of elevated lies,” the BNP leader said.

Rivzi said members of different law enforcement agencies along with the ruling party men have created a terrifying situation by carrying out attacks on the BNP leaders and activists across the country.

The ruling party cadres with the help of police yesterday carried out attacks on BNP candidates and their activists and drove their poling agents, workers and supporters out of their own areas, he said.

Rizvi, also spokesperson of BNP, claimed that around 10,833 leaders and activists of the party were detained since the announcement of the polls schedule on November 8.

Alongside, the ruling party activists carried out around 2,896 attacks on BNP men that left nine people dead, the BNP leader claimed.

Despite this, the countrymen have united in favour of the “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol by forming resistances at different places ahead of the election, he added.

WHAT DID PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINA SAY?

Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that the opposition BNP appeared to have sensed their defeat in the December 30 elections which could lead them to sabotage the polls.

“Remain careful about any subversive activity of BNP and their cohorts,” Sheikh Hasina said, wrapping up the election campaign for her Awami League and the ruling party-led Grand Alliance as she addressed four election rallies outside through video conferencing.

Apart from this, an Awami League delegation on the same day handed over a written complaint to the Election Commission (EC) alleging that the BNP-Jamaat alliance was engaged in conspiracies over the Sunday's election to unleash anarchy and violence across the country today.