Dhaka Bureau: Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam said that the country so far has a favorable environment for announcing the schedule of the upcoming national elections. The law and order forces said that they are cautious about the blockade program given by BNP and will take the necessary measures as per the situation ahead. For that, the EC is confident in the information of law and order forces. He said that the schedule of the 12th National Assembly elections will be announced anytime in the first half of November.
On Monday, October 30, the Election Commission (EC) held a meeting with high-level representatives of the law enforcement agencies to ensure the success of the 12th National Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal presided over the meeting. The meeting was attended by senior EC officials along with other commissioners. The EC Secretary gave this information after the meeting. Jahangir Alam.
The EC Secretary said that the Chief of the Forces, the Senior Secretary of the Public Security Department, and the representative of the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces have held a commission meeting to decide what to do to maintain law and order in the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections. The main topic of discussion in this meeting was how the election commission thinks and how to ensure peace and order before, during, and after the election. In what manner the law and order forces will carry out their duties, and how the departments related to the elections will ensure security—these general issues have been discussed.
He said there were more such meetings before the elections. Actions will be determined as the situation arises. Various intelligence agencies have presented their information, the capabilities of the various forces, how their manpower has been deployed at the center and other functions in the past elections, and how they will perform their duties in the 12th National Assembly elections to the commission. The Commission heard their statements and gave some directions. Later, various circulars will clearly mention how different forces will be deployed. They have assured the Election Commission that they will comply accordingly.
In response to these questions, the EC Secretary said that there are two things here. The reports of the intelligence agencies and the statements given by their chiefs to the Election Commission have not caused any major hindrance in the elections so far. Since the BNP has again imposed a three-day blockade after yesterday’s strike, they are being careful not to let the law and order situation deteriorate. And the stages of election, which are during the election, at the time of the announcement of the election schedule, and after the announcement of the schedule, from the allotment of symbols to the date of the election, when the situation arises, they will inform the Commission and take action as per the instructions of the Commission. A strategy will be adopted in this regard.
Md. Jahangir Alam said there was no discussion about whether the polling station would be sent in the morning or the previous night. There is much more time on this. There will be a meeting. The commission will take a decision depending on the situation at that time. They will give an opinion on the matter after observing the situation. Because the schedule has not been announced yet. The election date has not been announced. It’s a long way off. The discussions that took place informed the commission about the current law and order situation in Bangladesh.
In response to the question, what will happen if the law and order situation worsens with the announcement of the schedule? Jahangir Alam said a larger political party has already announced another total blockade after the strike. Presented to the Commission the situation as it stands at the moment. Again, they will present the situation when it comes. They report that so far, the environment is peaceful. There is a scheduling environment.
He said the schedule would be sometime in the first half of November. The commission will repeatedly inform the media in advance. The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, another Election Commissioner, and EC Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam, Senior Secretary of the Public Security Department. Mostafizur Rahman, Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, Director General of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Major General TM Zobair, Director General of Ansar and VDP Major General AKM Aminul Haque, Director General of BGB Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan, and Police Special Branch (SB) Chief Monirul Islam, Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), M. Khurshid Hossain, and representatives of the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), and the Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard were present.
Incidentally, the organization organizing the election has also called an inter-ministerial meeting for November 1. Besides, the voter list for the upcoming election will also be published on November 2. On the other hand, the EC has almost completed the purchase of all election materials.
