Army deployment extended till Jan 19 in 8 constituencies

The Election Commission (EC) has decided to extend duration of army deployment by two days, till January 19, for election duties in eight constituencies of six districts.
“We have taken the decision to beef up security measures for resisting post-poll violence, if it occurs,” Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz told journalists at the EC Secretariat yesterday.  

But the number of army personnel to remain deployed is yet to be finalised, he said.
Elections will be held at Dinajpur 4, Kurigram 4, Gaibandha 1, 3 and 4, Bogra 7, Jessore 5 and Laxmipur 1 constituencies on January 16 as voting in their 392 polling centres were postponed due to violence during the January 5 elections.
Election duties of army personnel concluded elsewhere on January 9. Around 50,000 personnel were deployed at 147 constituencies.  
“If people see them (armed forces personnel) in any district, it means they are staying there for winter exercises. Besides, the government can deploy army for security reasons anywhere, anytime,” Shah Nawaz added.
The EC yesterday also requested the public administration ministry to announce a public holiday in the eight constituencies on January 16. It also issued a circular restricting vehicular movement there between the early hours of January 16 and 17.
Meanwhile, the EC has sent letters to political parties and independent candidates representing parliament to inform whether they joined any alliance.
Based on their response, the EC will proportionately allocate among them the 50 reserved seats for women as per electoral laws, said the EC officials.
The EC will also announce schedule for the elections to the reserved seats next week, said EC officials.
Besides, the EC officials are preparing necessary documents for the upazila parishad elections.
Shah Nawaz on Sunday said, “We have time till April for holding the upazila parishad elections. We will concentrate on it after completion of elections to the national and reserved seats.”
A senior assistant secretary of the EC Secretariat told The Daily Star that the LGRD ministry yesterday sent letters to all deputy commissioners to complete demarcating boundaries for the reserved seats in the upazila parishad soon.
A copy of the letter was sent to the EC.