Security around the Election Commission office has been tightened after reports that the schedule of the parliament polls will soon be announced.EC officials said that the announcement might come on Monday if the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) gives the green light.
Additional deployment of RAB and police forces were noticed since the morning around the EC at the capital’s Sher-E-Bangla Nagar.
Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were also parked outside Bangabandhu International Conference Centre beside the commission.
Archway type metal detectors have been installed at the main entrance of the EC along with increased police patrols around the premises.
“The Election Commission might announce the poll’s schedule. That’s why 150 members of law enforcing agencies have been deployed in the area,” Additional Deputy Commissioner (Tejgaon) of Police Wahidul Alam told bdnews24.com.
EC officials said that the increased security followed a request from the Election Commission.
An election commissioner said that the CEC would decide whether the schedule would be announced in a press conference or through a speech broadcast on radio and television.
Chief of the state-owned radio Bangladesh Betar Kazi Akhtar Uddin turned up at the office of the EC secretary around 12pm on Monday.
Earlier on Sunday night, BTV’s director general M Hamid had met the secretary.
Schedule of the last parliamentary election was announced through a speech broadcast, according to EC officials.
The time of airing the speech can be finalised once it’s recorded, they said.
Usually such televised speeches are aired in the evening.
Election commissioners are in an ‘unscheduled’ meeting at the CEC’s office on Monday, almost a daily routine of the EC.
However, a formal ‘Commission meeting’ has not been scheduled for Monday, said EC officials.
Election Commissioner Md Shahnewaz had said on Friday that they will be announcing the poll schedule in the current week.
The same day, BNP’s acting-secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir threatened to cripple the country if the schedule was announced.-bdnews24.com
