Electioneering for Narayanganj city corporation polls set for Sunday ended midnight past Friday amid an air of uncertainties after the Election Commission announced that army troops would not be deployed for the polls.
Two of the three mayoral frontrunners – Awami League leader Selina Hayat Ivy and main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed candidate Taimur
Alam Khandoker – smelt a rat at the EC’s failures to deploy the army.
Both the candidates alleged that there were ‘conspiracies’ to influence the election and said the commission’s failures to deploy army had raised doubts about the polls.
Soon after the commission made the announcement, a group of people gathered in front of the Narayanganj press club at Chashara and chanted slogans demanding army deployment for the sake of free and fair polls.
‘People will be able to cast votes without fear if army is deployed,’ said Hasanuzzaman Monir, a student of Tolaram College, while talking to New Age.
In her reaction, Ivy said, ‘Shamim Osman was conspiring against army deployment to make the situation volatile before the polls.’
‘Why is he [Shamim Osman] afraid of army and the people of Narayanganj. People want army to be deployed during the election.’
Asked if she would quit the race after the EC’s announcement, Ivy said, ‘I demanded army deployment because the people so desired. But I am not going to quit the race.’
‘The people of Narayanganj will work as army troops,’ she said.
‘I will urge the home minister to ensure presence of the army during the election. I will also urge the chief election commission to keep his words over army deployment,’ Ivy said.
‘The CEC has long been claiming that the commission is independent and promised to deploy army. I want the CEC to keep his words,’ she added.
Sammilita Nagarik Parishad, a civic body backing Ivy in the mayoral race, at a press conference at her residence-cum-election office said the Election Commission and the NCC polls could be called into question due to its failure to deploy army.
‘If the commission fails to deploy army, question will arise whether it is truly independent,’ said the parishad’s member-secretary Rafiur Rabbi.
The BNP-backed mayoral candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker went to the election office around 12:30pm to express his concern over the absence of the army.
He told reporters he might rethink his contesting the polls if army was not deployed.
Talking to New Age, he termed the delay in deployment of army a ‘conspiracy’ and said it had proved that the Election Commission was not independent.
A number of voters said they feared whether the polls would be free and fair without army deployment.
The Awami League-backed candidate Shamim Osman could not be reached by phone for comments despite repeated attempts.
Earlier on the day, Shamim Osman told newsmen that he would be happy with whatever decision the commission takes as regards army deployment.
He, however, was critical of the commission for transferring the officers-in-charge of two police stations in Narayanganj.
However, all the candidates were seen electioneering even after the commission’s announcement that the army would not be deployed.
About 4,000 more members of law enforcement agencies were deployed on polls duty from Thursday. Check points have been set up to prevent entry of outsiders into the city before the polls.
No outsiders will be allowed to stay in the city from today until the polling day.
At a press conference in the evening, the returning officer, Biswas Lutfor Rahman, hoped the election would be held in a free, fair and transparent manner even without the presence of army.
The candidates conducted their last-minute election campaigns till midnight past Friday. All the candidates spent the final hours canvassing frantically to woo voters before the deadline for electioneering expired. Three major mayoral candidates wrapped up their campaigns addressing street rallies in the city. Supporters of some candidates paraded many city streets even after midnight.
According to the Election Commission decision, the army troops were scheduled to be on duty from 6:00am Friday, apart from some 4,000 additional members of different law enforcers, including Rapid Action Battalion and police.
The returning officer of Narayanganj city corporation polls, Biswas Lutfor Rahman failed to give any reasons for the delay in deploying army.
‘I am deeply concerned over the delay in army deployment,’ he said.
After keeping the people in suspense all day, the chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda said the commission would not deploy army in the polls.
Source: newagebd.com/newspaper1
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