Ctg city deserted as voting materials being sent to polling centres

Ballot papers and other election materials are being dispatched to polling centres across Chattogram ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum scheduled for Thursday (12 February).

Election officials said distribution of materials began at 11:00am on Wednesday and is expected to be completed by night.

Mohammad Bashir Ahmed, senior district election officer of Chattogram, told the Daily Sun, “All preparations for holding the parliamentary election have been completed. Materials for upazila-based constituencies were sent to the offices of assistant returning officers on Tuesday (10 February). From Wednesday morning, ballot papers and other election materials are being sent to centres in the city.”

A visit to MA Aziz Stadium in the port city showed presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers from various centres under Chattogram-11 constituency arriving since morning to collect election materials.

Assistant returning officers were seen handing over ballot boxes, ballot papers and centre-wise voter lists.

Members of Ansar-VDP and police are transporting the materials to polling stations by vehicle. Officials said all centres are expected to be fully prepared by the evening.

Law enforcement agencies have strengthened security across the city ahead of the polls. Checkposts have been set up at key intersections, and police are conducting searches of suspicious individuals.

Chattogram, typically known for heavy traffic congestion, appeared comparatively empty. Police have set up checkposts in important areas including Bahaddarhat, GEC Circle, Agrabad, New Market, New Bridge and port areas. Private cars and motorcycles are being stopped, and drivers and passengers are being asked about their identity and destination.

Meanwhile, many residents are still attempting to return to their village homes to cast their votes. A steady flow of people has been observed since Tuesday afternoon in the Shah Amanat Bridge area.

A total of 115 candidates are contesting in 16 parliamentary constituencies in Chattogram.

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Ballot papers, election materials sent to polling stations

The total number of voters in the district stands at 6,682,517. Of them, 3,483,887 are male voters and 3,198,560 are female voters, while 70 voters are registered as transgender.

In the 12th National Parliamentary Election held on 7 January 2024, the total number of voters in Chattogram was 6,314,317.

This year, voting will take place at 1,965 centres in the district, with one presiding officer assigned to each centre. There are 12,601 polling booths in total. In the previous election, there were 2,023 polling centres.

Police have identified more than 600 centres as “risky,” categorising them as “highly important.”

Assistant Commissioner Aminur Rashid of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Public Relations Department said, “In line with Election Commission directives and other considerations, we have categorised centres into three groups. Of the 607 centres under CMP jurisdiction, 310 have been marked as ‘highly important.’”

Additional Superintendent of Police (DB) of Chattogram district Mohammad Russell said 343 centres under the district police have also been identified as “highly important.”

“To maintain law and order, a modern technology-based Operations Command and Control Room has been set up at the district police superintendent’s office. From here, risk-based identification of centres and live location tracking of mobile and striking teams will be conducted,” he said.

According to a circular issued by the home ministry on 7 January, “highly important” centres in metropolitan areas will have four armed police officers, two armed Ansar members, and 10 police and female Ansar members equipped with batons deployed at each centre.

Additionally, “important” and “general” centres will have three armed police officers, two armed Ansar members, and 10 police and female Ansar members with batons stationed at each polling centre.