12 upazilas go to polls today

Polls to 12 upazila parishads in eight districts will be held today in the sixth phase amid tight security measures to avert violence.
Rebel candidates have again appeared as a big threat to both the ruling Awami League and the BNP-backed candidates.
Meanwhile, the by-election for Tarakanda upazila in Mymensingh will also be held today, as its chairman became an MP in the January 5 national elections.
As many as 182 candidates are contesting in 13 upazilas, 64 of them for the post of chairman, 69 for vice-chairman and 49 for female vice-chairman, according to the Election Commission.
The AL-supported candidates are facing nine rebel candidates in six upazilas, while four BNP-blessed candidates have an equal number of rebel aspirants in four upazilas.
The AL has two rebel candidates in Sadar Dakkhin in Comilla, one in Kalukhali in Rajbari, three in Gazipur Sadar and one each in Sadar, Gangachhara and Kaunia in Rangpur for the post of chairman.
The BNP-backed chairman candidates each have one rebel candidate in Sadar Dakkhin in Comilla, Kalukhali in Rajbari, Taltoli in Barguna and Bijoynagar in Brahmanbaria, our correspondents report.
The EC has meanwhile said it has taken extra security measures to prevent violence in today's polls.
Taking lessons from previous experience, the EC has deployed additional law enforcers to maintain law and order during the polls, said Sirajul Islam, acting secretary of the EC Secretariat.
Around 20,000 members of different security agencies, including the army, had been deployed at 746 polling centres in the 13 upazilas, he told reporters at a press conference at his office.