EC to spend Tk 5b for holding 10th JS polls

Shah Alam Nur | Published: December 03, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The Election Commission (EC) is going to spend nearly Tk5 billion to conduct the tenth parliamentary election scheduled for January 5, 2014.
The cost for holding national election has increased nearly three times or 186 per cent compared to that of the ninth general election held in December 2008 when it was Tk1.75 billion.
"This year the EC is going to increase remuneration for presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers by more than 200 per cent," EC senior assistant secretary Mohammad Enamul Hoque, said.
He said, "EC has sent a proposal recently to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in this regard for approval. The amount may increase further."
He said over 60 per cent money out of total budget for conducting the election will be spent for the law enforcement personnel.
When contacted, Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz said, "Our primary estimate is to spend Tk2.80 billion for law enforcement agencies and Tk 2.70 billion for polling agents and other election officials, for purchasing ballot papers, related tools, different forms, packets, manuals, publication, publicity, construction of polling rooms and booths etc."
Justifying the hike, he said, "The cost has increased for the inflation in the last five years. Living cost has gone up and manpower has increased." Â
"Fuel cost has increased by nearly 80 per cent in the last five years. So the EC has been forced to increase the budget," he pointed out.
"I think the amount is logical to conduct a sound election," he commented. Â
Election Commissioner Md Shahnewaz said, "Conducting polls in 300 constituencies across the country in one day is very tough. The number of voters is huge."
"That's why we have decided to deploy armed forces across the country alongside the VDP, Ansar, Police, RAB, BGB and Coastguards during the election," he added.
The ninth parliamentary election which was held on December 29, 2008 cost the government Tk1.75 billion. Of the amount, Tk103.37 million was paid as allowances to army personnel deployed for maintaining law and order, Tk 874.57 million was spent for other law enforcement agencies under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Of the amount paid for maintaining security, Tk 10 million was spent on gathering intelligence report.
Former election commissioner Brigadier General Shawkat Hossain told the FE that there are rules and regulations for expenditure and EC spends following those rules.
"The law-enforcers or the election officials perform additional duty which demands a handsome allowance," he said. Â
Former adviser to a caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan told the FE that for current volatile political situation most of fund will be spent on law enforcement. So cost of election will increase further.
He said, "I think the EC should more aware in management of the allocation for the general election. MoF should scrutinise everything before approval."
When contacted, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, "The cost may have increased, but transparency of expenditure must be ensured."
"The whole amount will be wasted if the election is not held or situation turns out like the election of February 15, 1996 as the then government was forced to declare another election just four months later," he said.
He also demanded conducting audit for the expenditure after the election.Â Â Â Â
According to EC, over 0.5 million members of different forces were needed to maintain law and order in the 300 constituencies in the country.
This year the register puts the voters at 91 million of whom 46 million are male and 45 million female. During the ninth parliamentary polls 2008 the number of voters was over 80.10 million.
For 2014 general election a total of 38 thousand of voting centres and 190 thousand of polling booths will be set up across the country.
This year 70 Returning Officers and 600 Assistant Returning Officers will be on duty at 300 constituencies.
Each voting centre will have a presiding officer and one assistant presiding officer and three polling officers for every polling booth. Over 570,000 polling officers will be at the ready.
Bangladesh has had parliamentary elections nine times since independence in 1971.