The Election Commission (EC) today rescheduled polls to all 49 union parishads (UP) of Rangamati from the third phase on April 23 to the sixth phase in June.

In a letter to the district election officer, the commission mentioned "major political parties could not field chairman candidates" as the reason behind the move.

The directive was aimed "at ensuring participation of all", reads the letter directing the rescheduling, signed by EC Deputy Secretary Shamsul Islam.

However, several EC officials told The Daily Star that the postponement was mainly for the absence of the ruling Awami League's (AL) candidates.

There were no AL candidates in 19 UPs and no BNP candidates in 27 UPs, according to EC's statistics.

Local leaders of both AL and BNP showed reluctance fearing attacks by regional political parties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), according to news reports.

There was no BNP candidate in 119 UPs in the first phase, in around 75 in the second and in around 45 in the third, according to EC's documents.

"But the EC does not show that much of a headache for it. The commission suspended polling to only a few union parishads considering the absence of BNP's candidate," a deputy secretary told The Daily Star seeking anonymity.

"But the commission has taken the Rangamati issue seriously as Awami League could not field candidates there," he added.

However, at a formal press briefing at the EC secretariat today, Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz claimed the rescheduling was over security grounds.

"We think if elections in the region are held in the last phase, violence may be lower," he said.

He also threatened to take stern actions against law enforcers and polling officials who neglect duties and "are found sitting silent during ballot stuffing or any irregularities".

Elections to 712 UPs were held on March 22 and 13 on March 23 in the first phase.

Around 645 UPs will go to polls tomorrow in the second phase; around 621 on April 23 in the third and 743 on May 7 in the fourth and around 1,400 in two other phases till June.

SECOND PHASE CAMPAIGN

Some three weeks of campaigns ended at electoral areas last night at 11:59pm as the EC banned all meetings and campaigns, presence of outsider from 6:00am tomorrow and movement of motor vehicles from 12:01am tomorrow.

Voting will be held from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

THIRD PHASE FILING

A total of 2,817 chairman aspirants filed nominations for the third phase. Of them, 1,435 are nominated by 15 political parties and the rest are independent candidates, according to EC statistics.

Five AL-nominated chairman aspirants are set to be elected unopposed, while BNP has no candidates in 46 UPs.

FIRST PHASE RESULT

AL candidates won in 540 UPs (54 unopposed), BNP's in 47, main opposition Jatiya Party in four; Jatiya Party (JP-Manju) in three, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal in three, the Workers' Party of Bangladesh in one; Islami Andolon Bangladesh in one and independent candidates in 103.

Besides, re-polling will be held in 22 UPs and election has been cancelled in one as a chairman candidate died there, according to EC's result sheet revealed today.