Bangladesh is all set to hold the 12th parliamentary elections on Sunday with the main battle expected between Awami League and independent candidates amid boycott by BNP and its allies.

The main challenge for the Election Commission (EC) will be to ensure a good voter turnout following arson attacks on polling centres apart from a train and buses on the eve of the polls.

In a televised address to the nation on Saturday evening, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal urged voters to discharge their civic responsibility by casting votes without fear overcoming concerns and confusion.

Fear has spread among people as at least 18 arson attacks were carried out on polling centres, mostly school buildings and election camps, in 10 districts in 24 hours since Saturday night that left one person killed.

Besides, a train was set on fire in the capital on Friday night, leaving four people dead and many others injured.

BNP and its like-minded parties, who boycotted the polls as their demand for installing a caretaker government to oversee the election went unmet, enforced a 48-hour nationwide hartal from 6:00am on Saturday in their last-ditch effort to keep away voters from going to polling stations.

The absence of BNP in the election leaves the stage open for a duel between AL and independent candidates with the ruling party contestants poised to win easily in most of the seats.

Many influential AL leaders are fighting as independent candidates in most of the constituencies after the party high command allowed them.

They have put up a tough contest in as many as 100 seats. Even in many seats, they are ahead of the party contestants.

Awami League withdrew candidates in 26 seats as part of an understanding with the Jatiya Party and six more seats were left for the 14-party alliance partners.

However, many of its leaders are contesting the polls as independent candidates in those seats, making it difficult for the AL allies to come out victorious.

A total of 1,969 candidates, including 1,534 from 28 political parties and 436 independents, are there in the race in 299 constituencies. Sixteen political parties, including the BNP, have boycotted the election.

The EC has postponed polls in Naogaon-2 constituency following the death of a candidate.

Voting will begin at 8:00 am and continue till 4:00 pm without any break. A total of 119,691,633 voters will be able to exercise their suffrage in the election.

Meanwhile, 11,882 voters have already cast their votes through postal ballots.

A total of 15 fire incidents took place across the country from 6:00am on Friday to 10:00am on Saturday that are seen as acts of sabotage. 

A train and five vehicles were set on fire. Besides, nine establishments were torched. Of them, seven are primary schools and one is high school, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence. 

A total of five people were killed and nine others injured while Benapole Express, an inter-city passenger train, was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants in Gopibagh area of the capital on Friday evening.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Saturday said it will be difficult to hold peaceful elections.

“The train was set on fire. Attempts are being made to set fire to polling stations. Those who went on strike also said they would hold a peaceful protest. We believe in peaceful anti-vote campaigning,” he said while addressing a ‘Meet the Press’ at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC). 

The CEC said, “We’re saddened to see the fire. If any party has done this, I consider it an unforgivable crime.”

In response to a query, he said, “More than 8 lakh members of law enforcement agencies are engaged in ensuring security of voters during the polling. Major parties are carrying out anti-polls activities. We don't mind if it's peaceful. Telling voters not to go to polling stations is a crime. This is our main challenge.”

Members of the armed forces started patrolling different areas of the country, including Dhaka, from January 3 to help ensure a free and fair election.

A total of 8 lakh members of law enforcement agencies have been deployed to maintain the law and order in this election. Along with them, there are 3,000 magistrates in the field.

The EC has completed all necessary preparations to conduct the election in a free, fair and neutral manner.

It started distributing voting materials, including transparent ballot boxes, seals, and indelible ink, to polling centres on Saturday. 

This is for the first time that ballot papers will be sent to polling centres from the returning officer’s office on the morning of the voting day to ensure that no questions arise over the credibility of the polls.

However, ballot papers reached nearly 3,000 polling stations in remote and Char areas on Saturday.

About 8 lakh public servants will conduct the polls in more than 42,000 polling stations with over 261,000 booths. Another one lakh will remain on standby.

Apart from 3,000 magistrates and judges, eight lakh armed or unarmed and uniformed members of law enforcement agencies will be on duty to enforce the law and order.

Besides, 653 judicial magistrates were deployed on Friday across the country. They have been asked to set an example by punishing the guilty by prompt trial (summary trial) whenever they see any crime.

So far 20,773 local observers have been permitted to monitor the election. Centrally 517 observers of 40 organisations and locally 20,256 observers of 84 organisations will monitor the election, according to the EC.

The last general election was held on 30 December 2018 when all political parties, including AL and BNP, took part. The 10th parliamentary elections were held on 5 January 2014 amid boycott by most political parties, including BNP.