Kolkata: As Bangladesh will go to polls on December 30, the government has stepped up the security to ensure peaceful elections. Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said that all necessary arrangements have been made to avoid any trouble.
The elections come at a time when the main opposition leader and two time prime minister Khaleda Zia is serving her five-year jail term in two graft cases. The Election Commission has declared her ineligible to run for the polls.
Zia’s arrest is being seen as a politically motivated move. However, Asaduzzaman Khan rubbished the reports saying that she was sentenced by two Bangladeshi courts and not the government.
“Those who are levelling such allegations don’t believe in law. She was sentenced by two courts on graft charges. How it is possible to release her? It was court’s directive and we are bound to obey it,” Khan said.
As large scale arrests have been made ahead of polls, Khan said, “The arrests were made on basis of pending cases. Some parties had fielded candidates with serious criminal cases against them. Most of them are absconders and instead of surrendering at court, they are contesting elections. We will not allow this.”
Former prime minister Zia was charged for embezzling funds meant for the Zia Orphanage Trust and was sentenced to five year jail in February.
The Bangladeshi home minister has said that they have requested the Indian government to maintain a strong vigil at the border. He said that members of terror groups may try to disturb the peaceful polling and that they ate going to be active around the border areas. “We have requested India to help us intensifying vigil along the Indo-Bangladesh border to prevent illegal entry and smuggling of arms,” Khan said.
Confident of victory, Khan said, “Inshallah (God willing) we will win with full majority.”
On December 30, 2018, Bangladesh will witness its 11th Parliamentary Election.
This time total number of parliamentary seats to be contested is 299 because poll Gaibandha-3 has been postponed following the death of a candidate Dr. TIM Fazle Rabbi.
Out of 16.47 Crore population, nearly 10 Crore Bangladeshis are eligible to cast their votes. There will be more than 40,199 polling stations across the country on Sunday.
The Bangladesh Police issued a list of 25,827 vulnerable/sensitive booths. As per Election Commission (EC) nearly 600,000 law enforcers would be deployed on election duties.
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