election -geniusmanik.com

Teams responsible for polling agents at polling stations;

In the three city corporations elections in Bangladesh on Monday. The Election Commission says they are fully prepared to conduct fair and neutral elections in Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet.

In the elections of Khulna and Gazipur, the opposition is facing a huge allegation of BNP candidate's election and it is seen as a big test for the Election Commission before the upcoming national elections.

But on the eve of this election, the Election Commissioner Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury said in an interview to BBC Bangla that the polling agents of any party will be seen in the polling station for the entire time of the voting.

"A BNP delegation came here today (Sunday) to meet us, the commission told them to arrange to send polling agents with the appointment letter signed by the candidate or his main election agent."

"They took the appointment letter so that they can stay in the polling station for the whole time, we have ordered the law enforcement agencies to keep it," said Mr. Chowdhury.

But he also made it clear that the Polling agents themselves do not have the responsibility of keeping them in their polling booths if they do not go through mid-way or regular recruitment.

Earlier, there was a confidence crisis between the Election Commission and the opposition and the Election Commission around the recent city corporation elections, he did not want to accept the allegation.

"BNP candidate has won in Comilla, Jatiya Party has won in Rangpur, Awami League candidates have won in Khulna and Gazipur. Therefore, we have nothing to say about the allegations of bias," remarked the Election Commissioner.

Even after the results of the City Corporation elections, if any party objected, he also reminded the court doors open for them.

He also warned that the commission will take tough action if Sylhet, Rajshahi and Barisal sealed the ballot somewhere in the ballot on Monday night.

"Our representatives will go to the polling station every ballot before the voting starts in the morning and if there is evidence that the ball was sealed in the ballot in the previous night, the commission will not hesitate to cancel the vote of that center," said Mr. Chowdhury.

In Rajshahi, he said that the election campaign was fairly peaceful in all the places except in 'little cocktail incident'.

At least 22 to 24 police and Ansar members will be guarded in every polling station on Monday for voting. Ten to twelve of them will be armed. Source: BBC