Half the centres in Rajshahi marked risky

About 48 per cent of the Union Parishad (UP) polling centres in the northern region have been identified as risky and 60 per cent of the risky centres as most risky.

The Rajshahi range police identified at least 4,300 polling centres in 1,064 unions in the 16 districts as risky and 2,580 out of the risky centres as most risky.

"The number of risky centres may increase in case of any security breach," a high police official told The Daily Star yesterday on condition of anonymity.

The highest security measures will be taken in Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon, Bogra, Pabna and Sirajganj frequently troubled by outlawed activists.

The army-led anticrime operation could not arrest any identified activist of outlawed parties in the region. They broke cover after pullout of the army, sources said.

"They (outlaws) are roaming the area and the candidates were campaigning with them," a schoolteacher of Jhikra Union of Bagmara said.

Preferring anonymity, the teacher said the outlawed leaders had controlled polls in Bagmara since the early 1990s.

However, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shamsul Alam of Bagmara Police Station has claimed that the law and order situation is much better than before.

"I heard some outlaws surfaced in the area, but we did not find any," the OC said.

The election is going to be held in 1,064 unions out of 1,097. The election to the rest will not be held for various reasons.