233 polls on Saturday: EC firm on maintaining discipline

The Election Commission (EC) will take tough measures to maintain discipline and prevent any violence or irregularities in the 233 polls scheduled for tomorrow (9 March).

The polls include the Mymensingh City Corporation election, four city corporation by-polls, three general elections, and 15 by-elections at the municipality level.

Additionally, there are 13 general elections and 190 by-elections at the union parishad level, along with seven zilla parishad by-elections.

Voting will take place from 8am to 4pm.

Mymensingh and Cumilla mayoral elections are receiving the most attention. To ensure the security of polling centres in these cities, each station will have 16-member law enforcement units while high-risk ones will have 17-member units. 

Additionally, there will be 12-member teams at regular centres and 14-member forces at high-risk centres in municipal polls.

A law and order coordination and monitoring cell has also been formed to observe the overall situation in the constituencies. Led by Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Sayem, director of EC IDEA Project 2, the cell will monitor the election environment across the country.

The overall situation of the constituencies is still good, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir told the media on Thursday. "However, if the situation goes out of control in any electoral area on the day of polling, instructions have been given to the concerned officials including the returning officer to immediately stop the polling there," he added.

According to commission data, Mymensingh City has 128 polling stations. Apart from ensuring the security of these centres, 33 mobile teams of police, Armed Police Battalion, Ansar, 11 striking forces and a reserve team are deployed in the polling areas. The 33 wards will have 17 teams of the Rapid Action Battalion and 7 platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh.

Five candidates are contesting to be Mymensingh mayor. A total of 149 candidates are vying for 33 general posts of ward commissioner while 69 for reserved seats for women. 

For Cumilla City polls , there will be a similar number of police, APBN and Ansar units, 9 striking forces and two reserve teams in 27 wards. Besides, 27 RAB units and 12 BGB platoons will be deployed.

Four candidates are vying for the post of mayor in the Cumilla city by-election. All are contesting as independent candidates.