Curtain falls on electioneering in 97 upazilas

FE Team | Published: February 18, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The curtain fell on the tense election campaign in 97 upazilas of 40 districts on Monday midnight, 32 hours before the voting opens in the upazilas, reports UNB.
As per the law, one has to stop electioneering in upazilas 32 hours before the voting.
The voting will take place from 8am to 4pm on tomorrow (Wednesday) without any break in the first phase election in the 97 upazila parishads.
"The electioneering in the 97 upazilas is going to end tonight and the overall law and order situation in the election areas is normal," Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz told reporters on Monday.
Traffic movement except that of the permitted ones in the election areas are restricted from Monday midnight, and the outsiders will have to leave the areas by the time, too.
Meanwhile, army personnel were deployed Monday to work as a striking force to maintain an election-friendly environment in the areas and they will be kept deployed until Friday.
Each upazila has got a platoon of army members (34 members), EC secretariat sources said.
Alongside regular law enforcement agencies, BGB members are working as striking forces in the election areas. Besides, a team of 14-17 security men will guard each polling station.
As many as 388 magistrates -- 291 executive magistrates and 97 judicial magistrates-have been appointed to lead mobile courts in the polls areas with a view to curbing any possible electoral violence and violation of polls codes.
A total of 1274 candidates are contesting the election against 291 posts in the 97 upazilas. Of them, 432 are chairman candidates, 513 vice chairman contenders and 329 vice chairman candidates for the post set aside for women.
There are 1,64,78,172 voters -- 81,91537 males and 8286635 females-who can exercise their franchise in 43290 booths of 6995 polling stations in the upazilas.
Over 1,25,000 election officials will be on duty during the voting. Of the officials, 6995 are presiding officers, 43290 assistant presiding officers and 86580 are polling officials.
The 97 upazilas are Ulipur Fulbari and Bhurangamari in Kurigram, Bheramara and Kushtia Sadar in Kushtia, Karimganj, Nikli and Bajitpur in Kishoreganj, Koyra and Dighilia in Khulna, Panchhari, Mohalchhari, Matiranga, Manikchhari and Ramgar in Khagrachhari, Saghata and
Gabindaganj in Gaibandha, Kapasia in Gazipur, Kashiyani and Maksudpur in Gopalganj, Mirsarai and Hathazari in Chittagong, Nachole in
On January 19, the EC announced election schedules for 102 upazilas and subsequently postponed polls of Pirganj of Rangpur to February 24, while suspended elections in four upazilas - Rangpur Sadar, Gangachhara, Pirgacha, and Kawnia in Rangpur- due to delimitation complexities.
Besides, the EC in the first four phases declared polls schedules for 380 upazilas out of the country's 387 upazilas.
The second phase polls in 117 upazilas will be held on February 27, while the 3rd phase polls in 83 upazilas on March 15 and the 4th phase polls in 92 upazilas on March 23.