Upazila polls after 19 yrs

The long awaited third local- body election to 480 Upaszila Parishad are going to be held today amid continued violence and reprisal attacks on political rivals allegedly resorted by ruling party supporters and followers soon after the end of parliamentary elections...

Out of total 481 upazila the poll will be held in 480 upazilas today except in Dighinala upazila under Khagrachnari. The election of that upazila will be held later on...

The Election Commission (EC) has taken all out preparations for the polls and special steps to ensure the voters to cast their franchise without fear and intimidation...

A total of 7,32,54,950 voters will exercise their franchise at the 1,74,618 polling booths under 32,356 polling centre while 3,340 Chairman candidates will contest for the post of Chairman, 2,898 for Vice-Chairman and 1,936 for woman Vice-Chairman posts...

The Commission has appointed 32,356 presiding officers, 1,74,618 assistant presiding officers and 3,49,236 polling officers for holding the election. It may be mentioned that the first Upazila Parishad election was held in 1985 and the second in 1988...

Candidates being supported by different political parties and independent are contesting in the election. Multiple candidates from the same party are contesting in many upazilas elections. Thirteen candidates including two chairmen and three vice chairman and eight women vice chairwomen have already been elected without contest...

The army, BDR, Police and Ansar and other law enforcing agencies would maintain overall law and order situation during the polls, EC sources said...

The 64 Additional Deputy Commissioners will work as returning officer and 480 UNO officers as assistant returning officer while Nagarkanda upazila UNO in Faridpur was appointed as assistant returning officer for both Nagarkanda and Saltha upazilas. Judicial and administrative magistrates are in the field level working to take immediate steps against any violators...

"Poll in any upazila could be deferred according to the direction of the returning officers if they noticed any irregularities," said the Election Commissioner (EC) Sakhawat Hossain...