Voting for the 13th parliamentary election in the Dhaka-20 (Dhamrai) constituency will be held at 147 polling centres, of which 13 have been identified as risky. The authorities concerned are preparing to deploy additional security forces at these risky centres.
Assistant Returning Officer and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Khan Salman Habib confirmed the information to Dhaka Tribune.
According to sources at the Upazila Election Commission office, the Dhaka-20 parliamentary constituency (seat no. 193) has a total of 147 polling centres with 710 polling booths.
The constituency, comprising 16 unions and one municipality, has a total of 376,639 voters. Of them, 187,835 are male voters and 188,802 are female voters.
Administrative sources said that 13 polling centres have been classified as highly risky. These include Char Chauhat Government Primary School, Haluyapara Government Primary School, Kantahati Government Primary School, Gangutia Government Primary School, Bhalum Government Primary School, Baratya Alhaj Maulana Yasin Pre-Cadet Dakhil Madrasa, Goaldi Government Primary School, Sharifbag Government Primary School, Sharifbag Islamia Kamil Madrasa, Khatra Government Primary School and Faringa Government Primary School.
Dhamrai Upazila Election Officer Md. SM Sadikur Rahman said that the centres were listed as high-risk considering past incidents of political violence, the presence of local influential groups and attempts to capture polling centres during previous elections.
He added that adequate law enforcement arrangements have been made at the risky centres and that voting will proceed without any disruption.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dhamrai Police Station Md. Nazmul Huda Khan said the high-risk centres have already been identified and will have sufficient deployment of police, Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh and the army. “We are hopeful that voting will be conducted peacefully at these centres,” he said.
UNO and Assistant Returning Officer Khan Mohammad Salman Habib said the election will be held in a festive and fair atmosphere. “We will have sufficient law enforcement personnel deployed. Anyone attempting to disrupt the election will be brought to book. Closed-Circuit TV cameras have been installed at every polling centre. We are working round the clock to ensure peaceful voting, and we hope the election in Dhamrai will be conducted smoothly,” he added.
