No external pressure on EC regarding polls: Alamgir

Staff Reporter :
Election Commissioner Md Alamgir on Tuesday said that there was no foreign pressure on the Election Commission regarding the upcoming national polls.

“There are no pressures on Election Commission regarding polls from the foreign countries.

The foreigners wanted to know what measures we have taken to make the election free, fair and peaceful,” EC Alamgir said after a meeting with the officials engaged in the election work in Mymensingh.

The election commissioner said the Bangladesh Army will be deployed during the 12th national polls to ensure security of the voting day.

“Law enforcement agencies are active against those who have announced or engaged in actions to resist the election,” the EC said.

Replying to a query regarding holding dialogues with the BNP and other political parties, Alamgir said they were repeatedly called for meetings but the parties never responded.

“It is nothing new that the administration is being changed following the proposals given by the political parties participating in the election.

Political parties and independent candidates will have to play a role in holding participatory polls and they will have to make arrangements to bring voters to the centers, the EC said.

The 12th parliamentary election will be held on January 7, as per the schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on November 15.

Meanwhile, the main opposition party-BNP- and several other political parties are boycotting the polls demanding the incumbent government’s resignation and hold the polls under non-party caretaker government.