Bangladesh: 1,400 polling stations in Dhaka marked high risk ahead of polls

Dhaka [Bangladesh], February 11 (ANI): Around 1,400 polling stations in 13 constituencies of Dhaka have been designated as high risk for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury shared the information on Wednesday during a media briefing on election preparedness.
According to the report, additional law enforcement personnel will be deployed at the identified centres to ensure security. The Election Commission has implemented special measures for these polling stations, including enhanced security.
Sharf Uddin said all necessary preparations for the election and referendum have been completed by the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner's Office. "All voting materials will reach polling stations through presiding officers by this evening," he said.
He added that authorities have not detected any specific security threat so far. "We are not under any pressure. A total of 52 complaints regarding violations of the code of conduct were received, and all have been addressed," he said.
To maintain order on polling day, 80 executive magistrates and two judicial magistrates will conduct mobile court operations across Dhaka. Adequate numbers of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and army personnel will remain prepared to respond promptly to any untoward situation, the report said.
Nearly 90 per cent of polling centres in Dhaka are under CCTV surveillance, Sharf Uddin added. Additionally, two Ansar members equipped with body-worn cameras will be stationed at each polling station to transmit real-time footage.
Voting is scheduled for tomorrow in Bangladesh (February 12). The results are expected to be confirmed on Friday, February 13.
Following an intense 20-day official campaign period that concluded on February 10, authorities have now fully shifted to polling mode, with attention centred on voting-day logistics and security management.
Over 12.77 crore eligible voters will elect representatives for 299 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with one seat postponed following a candidate's death.
Alongside the parliamentary contest, voters will also participate in a concurrent national referendum on the July National Charter, a key document proposing major constitutional and institutional changes that could shape future governance.
The Election Commission said ballot papers are being distributed to polling centres with stringent security measures in place, noting that logistical preparations involving thousands of election officials and security personnel have been completed.
The European Union Election Observation Mission described the pre-poll atmosphere as "very positive," with Chief Observer Ivars Ijabs noting that stakeholders across districts and regions expressed a hopeful outlook, according to The Daily Star.
The EU has deployed over 200 observers, including 60 long-term observers who have been active since early January and 90 short-term observers assigned to monitor voting and counting.
Politically, the contest primarily pits candidates from two major alliances, one led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the other by Jamaat-e-Islami.
Despite the broadly positive outlook from authorities and observers, concerns persist in some regions regarding potential post-poll unrest. (ANI)