Police identify 106 BCC polling centres risky

Staff Reporter :
A total of 106 out of 126 polling centres in upcoming Barishal City Corporation election found risky, the police said.

“106 out of 126 polling centres have been marked as important or risky. Police have marked 70 polling centres as important. As poll candidates expressed concern over several more centres, the total number of risky centres stands at 106,” Barishal Metropolitan Police (BMP) Commissioner Saiful Islam said.

The BMP Commissioner said it while addressing a press conference on law and order situation ahead of the city election at the BMP headquarters about 11:30am on Saturday.

Saiful Islam said polls campaign ends at 12:00am on Sunday. No outsider can stay in the city after this time.
“For ensuring this strictly, a door-to-door search will be conducted if necessary,” said.

He said, “We have sent clear message to all stakeholders that there is no option for outsiders to stay in Barsihal after the timeline.”
Outsiders, however, would be allowed to stay in the city on justified grounds only, the commissioner said.

Saiful Islam said a total of 4,400 members of police Rapid Action Battalion, Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Ansar will remain deployed to control law and order situation on the Election Day.

“Voters will exercise their franchise without any barriers and it will be ensured that voters can cast ballot in a festive mood,” he said.

Meanwhile, a mayor candidate alleged that intelligence agency personnel were working in the field to ensure victory for a special candidate. In reply to this query from journalists, the commissioner said, “I know nothing about this allegation and I heard about it for the first time now.”

“If such allegations are placed to the returning officer instead of the media, we can take action in future,” the BMP Commissioner said.

Meanwhile, Md. Jahangir Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of Barishal, said that 11 platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be deployed to maintain the law and order during the polls.

He said, the BGB already reached the city on Saturday and would be deployed on Sunday.