The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Keeping the enlisting of some 40 lakh voters in the capital in mind, the Election Commission (EC) yesterday formally launched its data collection work in the Dhaka city.

The EC-appointed enumerators yesterday visited door-to-door to collect data on voters in areas under the 28 police stations in the city.

Some 36.36 lakh voters enrolled in the voter list that was cancelled last year. The figure is likely to increase by about 3.50 lakh this time, the EC said. The information collection work is scheduled to be completed by November 29. On an average an enumerator is distributing 300 prescribed forms and fill them up on the spots.

After completion of the work of information collection, a total of 951 camps will be opened in 90 wards of the capital in phases. The work for taking photographs of voters will start from December 1.

The work for photograph taking will continue up to March, although the voter lists preparation work in the Dhaka city is supposed to be completed by February according to the schedule given by the Bangladesh Army. Voters will simultaneously be provided with national IDs.

In order to do the job, the EC has already appointed 188 assistant registration officers, 2,627 supervisors and 13,040 information collectors.

The field level enumerators started their activities in the city yesterday morning visiting the residence of Dhaka Divisional Commissioner at Minto Road in the city and supplying voter registration forms to Commissioner Ekram Ahmed, wife and two sons.

"We've been carrying out this major task across the country successfully. My feeling is very much encouraging. I'm very much optimistic about its success," Ekram Ahmed told reporters.

He said this is the first time that the Election Commission started enlisting voters with photographs. "I think this digitalised voter listing would be accurate. A flawless voter list is imperative to hold a free and fair election," he said.

Deputy Election Commissioner Biswas Lutfar Rahman told reporters that they had started their work in all the police stations in the capital simultaneously on the advice of Bangladesh Army personnel. "We expect to complete the data collection work in all the areas of the capital within the stipulated time," he said.

The Army is providing technical support to the EC in its voter listing and national ID preparation.