A day before the third phase of the Upazila election, three local administration chiefs (UNOS) have been withdrawn on charges of influencing the polls.
The Election Commission has withdrawn the UNOs of Lohagara in Chattogram, Khulna’s Keshabpur and Mithapukur in Rangpur, its Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told the media on Saturday (Mar 23).
Officers-in-charge of four police stations have been also removed, he added.
“We have gathering input from the electoral zones on Saturday and deployed additional security personnel and magistrates in areas which have been deemed as risky,” Ahmed said during the media call at the Commission’s headquarters in Dhaka.
Additional forces of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be deployed in 24 Upazilas on election day, he added.
As many as 117 Upazilas are set to go to polls on Sunday (Mar 24) in the third phase voting of the elections.
The Commission has taken a ‘stern stance’ ahead of the voting, Secretary Ahmed said before adding, “We are taking immediate measures upon receiving complains. We have already withdrawn three Upazila executive officers (UNOs) as well as several police OCs and additional superintendents have been removed.”
Several MPs have been warned and told to leave Upazila election zones, he said. “MPs have been served with notices to leave for violating codes. The Commission is committed to hold a free and fair election in the third phase, just like the first and second ones.”
Asked whether MPs will face action for violating polls code, the EC secretary said their initial response to address the issue is to serve lawmakers with notice and order them to leave election zones.
“We found the MPs complying with the Commission’s order and leaving their constituencies. Actions would have been taken if that was not the case,” he said.