National Polls: EC receives proposal to transfer 338 OCs

UNB :
The Election Commission has received a proposal from the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry to transfer the Officers-in-Charge (OCs) of 338 police stations ahead of the upcoming national election slated for January 07 next.

EC additional secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said the EC received the proposal on Wednesday. “But the EC has not approved it yet,” he said.

Earlier, the EC asked the government to transfer all Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) and Officers-in-Charge (OC) of police stations in phases to conduct the 12th parliamentary elections in a fair manner.

As per the EC’s directives, the Public Security Division sent the proposal to transfer 338 OCs in the first phase.

The commission has already approved the transfer of 47 UNOs in the first phase after the Public Administration Ministry sent a proposal in this regard. Now the move to transfer 20 more UNOs is awaiting EC’s approval.

For the OCs, this was the first list, and OCs who served over six months made the list, said officials at the public administration ministry and the Police Headquarters.

The EC held a meeting on Wednesday after receiving the list from the PHQ and had a discussion on it, but did not take any decision, said EC sources.

The commission will sit again on Thursday.

PHQ officials said the transfer of such a huge number of OCs ahead of the election will not affect law and order, as those who will replace them have vast experience as OCs.

On December 4, the EC approved a public administration ministry proposal for the transfer of 47 upazila nirbahi officers in the first phase.