The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Mixed reaction has been created among the candidates, officials and voters about non-deployment of army at vote centers on Election Day.

Khan Sayeed Hassan, deputy inspector general of police in charge of Barisal range and commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, said that BCC election would be hold under a non-political government and without interference of political parties and candidates. So this time it would be easy for law enforcing agencies to maintain law and order to hold free fair election. Barisal City Corporation election would be limited in an area of 45 square kilometer and law-enforcing agencies would not face any manpower shortage like nation-wide election days. The law enforcing agency including Police, Range Reserve Force, Rapid Action Batalion, Ansar and Village Defense Force have sufficient strength to maintain the law and order situation and hold free fair election.

Help from near by police stations and districts would also be sought if necessary and services of plain cloth security agency men already activated, BMP commissioner and DIG in charge said.

In each of the 91 centers of BCC election at least 22 to 24 members of law enforcing agencies under an officer would be deployed and extra forces also be stationed at the vulnerable risk-prone centers, he added. Besides mobile vigilance and patrol teams and striking forces would also be deployed in election areas and surrounding the vote center. At least six check post in different entrance and key points of the city would also be opened within a short time. Manirul Islam, Deputy Election Commissioner in charge and retuning officer of BCC election said election commission appended that civil law enforcing agency could be sufficient for maintaining law and order during election period.

Mobile patrol and striking forces would be deployed from August 1 and forces at the vote centers would stationed on August 3. Besides movements of motorized private transports like motorcycles, microbuses, cars would be restricted, he added. On other hand Advocate Enayet Pir Khan, BCC Mayor candidate of Nagorik Parishad, called for deployment of army in vote centers and surrounding areas on Election Day. Advocate Pir said miscreants might take chances to interfere in election as emergency has been relaxed after long days and free fair election would become more vulnerable without deployment of army. So deployment of army at least mobile patrol and striking forces would be helpful for free fair election in a secured atmosphere.

Ahsan Habib Kamal, expelled city BNP president and another major Mayor candidate of BCC election also called for deployment of army at vote centers and surrounding areas on vote day. People have confidence on army rather than civilian law enforcers and absence of armed forces in the field may create risks of snatching ballot boxes, occupying vote centers or other kinds of law lessens, Kamal cautioned. However Ebaidul Huq Chan, former district BNP president and another Mayor candidate of BCC skipping the answer in this regard said we want free fair election. It is the duty of election commission to conduct free fair election and in what way they do it, is not concerned to others. If civilian law enforcing agencies work with competency, sincerity and honesty then there would be no need for deployment of army in election.

Relaxation of emergency power rule would be ended before the Election Day. However it would be better for candidates to extend this relaxation up to one day after the election to enjoy the joy of victory by the supporters of the candidates, Chan further said.

Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron, city AL convener and 14 alliance nominated BCC Mayor candidate also expressing the same views like Chan said that present election would be held in a different atmosphere that previous local government elections.

People are now more conscious about their duties and musclemen became absconding. So we hope that election would be free and fair even army would not be deployed, Hiron added.

On other hand like many general voters and most of the mass people Abdullah, a voter of a vulnerable center of Amanatganj area of the city expressed that deployment of army at least as mobile patrol team on election day could create confidence of security among the people and inspire more to go to election centers for casting their votes.