709 UPs go to polls today amid fear of violence
No BNP chairman candidate in 106 unions
The fourth phase of polls in 709 union parishads (UPs) will be held today amid apprehensions of violence and irregularities that marked the first three phases. Election Commission (EC) sources said they have made preparations to hold the polls peacefully and assured voters that they would be able to cast their ballots without fear as law enforcers would provide adequate security. People still fear that there would be violence as the EC had failed to ensure peaceful voting in the first three phases that claimed 70 lives and left many injured. The EC has suspended elections in 16 UPs of Baghmara upazila. Polling will start at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break in 7,062 polling centres in 88 upazilas of 47 districts. A total of 3,245 chairman candidates are contesting the polls. Of these, 1,723 candidates are politically nominated
and the rest 1,522 will contest as independents. The Awami League has fielded 724 candidates, the BNP 619 and the Jatiya Party 156. The BNP does not have chairman candidates in 106 UPs. In the first phase, the BNP did not have chairman candidates in 119 UPs, in the second phase in 79 and in third phase in 46 UPs.
A total of 33 AL chairman candidates have been elected unopposed. Of them, 10 were from Rowzan upazila of Chittagong district. Besides, a total of 7,159 will contest for member posts reserved for women and 24,187 will contest for general member posts. A total of 98 women members have won uncontested, while 227 general members were elected unopposed. Law enforcers, including the police, RAB, BGB, Armed Police Battalion and Ansar, will be deployed to maintain law and order at the polling centres. There will be 20 policemen and Ansar, including a police officer, at each polling centre. EC sources said 264 executive magistrates and 88 judicial magistrates have been deployed on poll duty. In each upazila, three executive magistrates and one judicial magistrate have been deployed for rapid trial of cases involving violation of electoral code. Law enforcers and magistrates will be on duty on the day of election and the next day. Mobile and the striking force of the police and RAB would be on duty outside the polling booths.
The EC urged all political parties, their supporters and candidates to cooperate with the commission to hold peaceful elections. The fifth phase of UP polls will be held on May 28 and the final phase on June 4.
