Atmosphere favourable for municipal polls: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed today said the county’s overall situation is favourable for holding the upcoming municipality elections.
“The situation is not like that for which we should be concerned,” the CEC told reporters emerging from a 3-hour-long meeting with law enforcers at Biam auditorium in Dhaka.
In the meeting, the CEC discussed security issues before the maiden partisan municipality elections slated for December 30 with top officials of different law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Also Read: Violence, violation of polls code rising

Senior officials from the home ministry, police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB and different intelligence agencies attended the meeting around 11:00am.
“According to the information which I have received from the law enforcement agencies, the prevailing situation of the country is favourable for holding the municipality elections,” CEC said.

READ more: Hindus vulnerable to polls-time violence

The polling officials were instructed to take necessary steps against those contestants who will violate code of conduct and report it to the commission, the CEC added.
He also ruled out the possibility of deploying army during the municipality elections saying that there is no reason for it for the time being.
According to statistics provided by the commission, 12,045 candidates -- 923 mayoral, 8,589 general councillor and 2,533 women councillor contenders in reserved seats -- are contesting the polls.