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No army in by-polls, municipal elections on January 27: EC

Md Akmal

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The Election Commission on Monday decided that the army will not be deployed during the parliamentary by-elections in Habiganj-1 and Brahmanbaria-3 as well as 13 municipal polls slated for January 27.

After a nearly two hour-meeting with chiefs of different law enforcing agencies at the EC secretariat in the afternoon, Election Commissioner Sohul Hossain told reporters that since army will not be deployed, the number of law enforcing agencies including police, RAB, BGB and Coast Guard will be increased.

Earlier, the Election Commission wrote to the Army Headquarters seeking army personnel for the by-elections and the remaining municipal polls.

During the meeting, when Sohul Hossain asked a representative from the Army Headquarters about their decision, the army representative revealed that the matter is under consideration.

Then the Election Commission decided to hold both the by-elections and municipal polls without the deployment of army.
When a reporter asked about the EC's letter to the Army Headquarters (AHQ), Sohul Hossain said: "the letter is still there (AHQ)."

Meeting sources said Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain blasted the representatives of the law enforcing agencies for their inactions in the wake of hijacking ballot boxes and beating up of presiding officers at some centres during the recent municipal elections.

The Home Secretary, the IGP and others reportedly admitted their mistakes.Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat called for coordination among the law enforcing agencies to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
 


Earlier, the Election Commission wrote to the Army Headquarters seeking army personnel for the by-elections and the remaining municipal polls.

During the meeting, when Sohul Hossain asked a representative from the Army Headquarters about their decision, the army representative revealed that the matter is under consideration.

@ How come the Election Commission is throwing the ball on the Army ? It is the EC to decide whether the Army will be deployed or not ? Army is just to obey the order. The election is knocking at the door and the Army representive is telling that the matter is under consideration.

@ It has been amply proved that Police/Rab/BDR cannot give proper security for the conduct of Elections. As per their version(Police and EC) even ballot boxes were snatched away while the boxes were being on the way to Returning Officer.

@ Conducting a free and fair election is a national issue. We have seen how the by-election was held at Bhola and municipal election in Noakhali and Commilla.
 
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BNP worried over EC’s decision not to deploy army at by-polls

UNB, Dhaka

@ Opposition BNP is 'worried and concerned' over the Election Commission's decision not to deploy the army in parliamentary by-elections in Brahmanbaria-3 and Habiganj-1 constituencies.The party will ask the EC to revise the decision.

@ The EC on Monday decided not to deploy the army to the January 27 by-elections to the two constituencies.BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday night held an emergency meeting with the party's senior leaders over the EC's decision not to deploy army in Brahmanbaria-3 and Habiganj-1 constituencies by-polls.

@ BNP chairperson called the senior leaders to an urgent meeting at her Gulshan office at 8pm to discuss the matter of non-deployment of army, according to the party sources.After an hour-long meeting, a BNP standing committee member who was at the meeting told UNB that they are concerned over non-deployment of army given how the law and order situation has deteriorated.

@ He said they think that it has been done to rig the vote for snatching the election victory in favour of the ruling party.Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman and Sadeq Hossain Khoka, were present at the meeting.
 
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@ I still remember in 1996, it was Election Commission which unitarilly decided for the deployment of Army before the general election and Army was deployed for collection of illegal arms throught out the country in the name of "Operation Treasure Hunt". Even Army suspended the routine "Winter Collective Training".

@ But now we want to deploy Army only in 3/4 districts. What is the problem ? Is it to give free hand to the AL mastans ?

@ In Cox's Bazar, the Zilla Election Officer and the mobile Magistrate was beaten by the AL mastans and the Mayor candidate himself, what a shame ????
 
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EC pulls up home ministry, police, RAB for inaction
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Staff Correspondent

The election commission on Monday pulled up the home secretary and the police and Rapid Action Battalion chiefs for not taking action against ballot stuffing, ballot box and paper snatching and assaulting polling officers and magistrates during the recently held municipal polls.

The Election Commission was holding a meeting with the top functionaries at the NEC auditorium to review the deployment plan for the two parliamentary by elections and 12 municipal polls set for January 27.

The election commissioners Muhammad Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain wanted to know why they failed to enforce the law against these election time violations.The EC wanted to know from them why not a single offender was arrested for these gross violations.

On January 27, the EC would hold Habigang-1 and Brahmanbaria-3 by-elections as well as the polling in 12 municipalities — Parbatipur, Magura, Char Fashion, Madhabdi, Jajira, Madan, Madaripur, Daganbhuiyan, Teknaf, Maheshkhali, Chokoria and Cox’s Bazaar Sadar Bazaar.

An armed forces division representative informed the election commission that no decision was taken as yet about its request for the deployment of army troops during the by-elections in Habiganj-1 and Brahmanbaria-3.

The two election commissioners warned that in that event the police officers of the concerned areas would be held responsible for any incident of ballot stuffing or snatching of ballot boxes and papers during the January 27 elections.

Sakhawat Hussain wanted to know from the inspector general of police why no police officer was suspended for failing to take action against the violations during the recently held municipal elections.He wanted to know why no police offer was put under suspension for such failures.

He said that no superintendent of police and police station officer-in-charge was issued show-cause notices.The home secretary Abdus Sobhan, IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, RAB director general M Muklesur Rahman, and representatives from the Armed Forces Division, Border Guards Bangladesh , Ansar and VDP and officers of election commission attended the meeting.

Elections were held in 242 elections between January 12 and 18.The elections in greater Noakhali took place on January 18 amid widespread ballot stuffing and snatching of ballot boxes and papers.
Election results of six municipalities were withheld by the Election Commission following allegations of widespread rigging and violence.
The chiefs of the police and the RAB said that their there might have been negligence on the part of some officers in some areas in greater Noakhali region during the polls.They, however, said nothing about whether or not any action was taken against the officers for inaction.

Sohul demanded to know, how is it that none were arrested for snatching ballot papers and result sheets in Syedpur and mehendiganj, ballot stuffing in Borhanudding of Bhola and assaulting polling officers in Cox’s Bazaar.The election commission pulled up the police and the RAB for failing to take action against ruling party lawmaker Abdur Rahman Badi for repeatedly assaulting on election officers and magistrates on election duty at Teknaf.

The meeting over, Sohul told reporters more police, RAB, BGB and Coast Guard personnel would be deployed if no army troops were available.Earlier, the Election Commission requested the Armed Forces Division for providing army troops for deployment during the by-elections.
Asked about the EC’s letter to the Armed Forces Division, Sohul said, ‘the letter is still there.’
 
EC seeks army again for polls


Tue, Jan 25th, 2011 6:22 pm BdST

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Dhaka, Jan 25 (bdnews24.com) — The Election Commission has again sought troops from the Armed Forces Division for deployment in the by-polls in Brahmanbaria and Habiganj, and elections in 12 municipalities.

Election commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain said the commission had sent a letter in this regard on Tuesday.

"But there is no response in this regard so far, I don't know why," he told reporters in response to their queries about army deployment.

Sohul said the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion and police personnel would be deployed as striking force in the election areas any time. "It may be tonight (Tuesday night)."

However, another election commissioner, Muhammad Sakhawat Hussain, told the journalists: "There's no problem if army is deployed six hours before the elections."

On Monday, Sohul said, "In response to our letter seeking army, the Armed Forces Division has said it is under consideration. So, we've taken preparations to hold the polls without army."

BNP has long been demanding army deployment both in the municipal and by-elections. By-elections in Brahmanbaria and Habiganj and polls in 12 municipalities will be held on Jan 27.

Party standing committee member M K Anwar on Tuesday renewed its demand for army in the by-polls terming 20 polling centres in Brahmanbaria and 44 centres in Habiganj 'risky'. "There is no chance of free and fair voting at those centres without the presence of army," he said.

Army personnel were deployed in several municipalities during the municipal elections in around 250 municipalities of four divisions which were held between Jan 12 to Jan 18.

bdnews24.com/mhc/mi/ost/mr/1905h

---------- Post added at 08:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 AM ----------

Has BNP made up with army already since the last blunder in 2008?
 
Army may be deployed in by-polls: Sohul

Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain on Tuesday said army ‘may be’ deployed in two parliamentary by-elections in Habiganj-1 and Brahmanbaria-3 as well as in 12 municipal elections slated for January 27.Talking to reporters, he said a letter from the commission has already been sent to the Armed Forces Division regarding this issue.Sohul hoped that the government would make a decision about the deployment of the army soon.
 

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