01:40 PM, December 16, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 02:00 PM, December 16, 2018

Returning officers likely to get ballots Dec 25

Polling materials, except ballot papers, have already been sent to 63 districts as Bangladesh prepares for its next general election.

The Election Commission (EC) supplied 12-14 items to every district, except Dhaka, on December 8-9. Ballot papers will be sent to districts four to five days before the polls slated for December 30.

According to EC's list, the items include transparent ballot boxes, electronic voting machines (EVM), electoral rolls with photograph, ineffaceable ink pens, rubber seal (official seal), marking seal, stamp pad, glue, brass seal, charger light (lamp), calculators, stapler, stapler pin, large and small sacks.

Some materials, such as ball-point pens, white papers, carbon papers, knife, needle, candle, matchboxes, glue pot, stamp pad ink and iron or plastic plates, are also procured from local markets.

"We may send the ballot papers to the returning officers by December 25," said Khondker Mizanur Rahman, EC's joint secretary.

They will then be sent to upazilas two to three days before the election. The ballot papers and other polling materials will be handed over to presiding officers at upazila headquarters a day before the election.

"From there, the materials will be taken to 40,199 polling stations across the country," he said, adding that they started collecting election materials six months ago.

HELICOPTERS AND EVMS

Helicopters will also be used for transporting election items and officials to and from polling stations in remote places in Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban.

Mizanur said the EC had asked returning officers for lists of polling stations where air transport would be needed.

"Most of these remote polling stations are in Khagrachhari," the official said.

Apart from helicopters, the election will also see the use of EVMs. But these machines will not be used in all 300 constituencies.

About 900 EVMs will be used in six constituencies - Dhaka-6 and 13, Chattogram-9, Rangpur-3, Khulna-2 and Satkhira-2. Some 2.12 million voters will be able to cast their votes through the electronic machines.

As many as 104.2 million voters will elect their representatives in parliament from among 1,841 candidates.


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