A total of 1,400 polling centres in the capital have been identified as risk-prone ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury said on Wednesday (February 11).
He made the remarks while briefing journalists in Dhaka on the overall election preparations.
Sharaf Uddin said the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner’s Office has completed all necessary preparations for the election and referendum. Voting materials will be delivered to polling centres through presiding officers before this evening.
Stating that there is currently no security threat, the Returning Officer said authorities are not feeling any pressure. So far, 52 allegations of violations of the electoral code of conduct have been received, and all have been resolved.
According to the Election Commission, 1,400 polling centres across 13 constituencies in Dhaka have been categorized as risk-prone. As a result, additional law enforcement personnel will be deployed at each of these centres.
To maintain order, 80 executive magistrates and two judicial magistrates will lead mobile courts in Dhaka on Thursday. Adequate members of the police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the armed forces will remain on standby to respond swiftly to any untoward incidents.
The returning officer also said that around 90 per cent of polling centres in Dhaka will be under CCTV surveillance. Additionally, two Ansar members equipped with body-worn cameras will be stationed at each centre, uploading real-time footage during the voting process.
