Electioneering in 116 UZs ends

The curtain falls on the tense election campaign in 116 upazila parishads (UZs) of the country's 52 districts Tuesday midnight, 32 hours before the voting opens in the upazilas, reports UNB.
The voting will take place from 8am to 4pm on Thursday without any break in the second phase election in the 116 upazilas.
"No one can call or participate in any rally, procession or showdown in the election areas for 64 hours -- 32 hours before the voting and the same period after that," said an EC press release Tuesday.
Besides, the release said, no one can indulge in aggressive or anarchic behaviour or intimidate voters or any person engaged in election duty, or brandish arms or flex muscle.
If anyone is found guilty of such acts, s/he will be punished by six months to five years' jail or Tk 50,000 fine or by both, the release added.
Meanwhile, a platoon of the army (34 members) has already been deployed in each upazila for five days, EC secretariat sources said.
The army personnel were deployed on Tuesday to work as striking forces to maintain election-friendly environment in the polls areas.
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.
A total of 1352 candidates are contesting the election against 348 posts in the 116 upazilas. Of them, 505 are chairman contenders, 511 vice chairman candidates and 336 are vice chairman candidates for the post set aside for women.
There are 1,96,62,648 voters -- 98,40,868 males and 98,21,780 females-who can exercise their franchise through 51315 booths of 8063 polling stations in the upazilas.
Some 1,62,000 election officials will be there on polls duty during the voting. Of the officials, 8063 are presiding officers, 51315 assistant presiding officers and 102630 are polling officials.