Polling agents should not leave their stations: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda has called upon all polling agents not to leave their respective voting centres of their own accord during Dhaka North and South City Corporation Elections to be held tomorrow.

“No one will be able to drive them [polling agents] out of the polling centres unless they leave on their own,” Huda, in his last briefing before the polls, told newsmen at his Election Commission office in Agargaon area of Dhaka this afternoon.

He also requested the polling agents of all parties including BNP and ruling Awami League to discharge their duties by taking responsibility.

“Take the help of respective polling officers if any incident of polling agents being driven out of the voting centres takes place,” Huda said.

Earlier in the day, Huda held a meeting at his office with other commissioners to discuss the overall situation ahead of the elections.

“It is the commission’s responsibility to ensure overall security of the polling agents if they enter the voting centres once,” the EC chief said, seeking help from people of all sections in order to hold the election in a free, fair and credible manner.

“I hope an acceptable election will be held tomorrow [February 1] in a free, fair and credible manner,” the CEC said.    

Brushing aside BNP’s allegation of the absence of a level playing field, Huda said their (BNP) candidates were engaged in carrying out election campaigning across their respective electoral areas without any hindrance.

He also requested all voters to go to the polling centres and cast their votes for their desired candidates without hesitation.

Yesterday, Huda asked the law enforcement agencies to keep close vigilance so that no unnecessary gatherings take place outside the polling centres.

The Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) started patrolling in Dhaka from midnight of January 30 to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful manner.

A total of 75 platoons of BGB will be deployed to avert any untoward incident, according to Dewan Mohammad Humayun Kabir, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Dhaka.

The BGB platoons will be on duty for four days till February 2, Kabir added.

Alongside, around 45 to 47 thousand individuals from different law enforcement agencies including Rapid Action Battalion, Armed Police Battalion, Police and Ansar already started their duties to avert any untoward incident ahead of the election.