Countdown to polls as campaigns end tomorrow   

As the campaigning for the 12th parliamentary elections ends formally at 8am tomorrow, the Election Commission says it has made all-out preparations to ensure a fair environment so that all voters come to the polling centres and cast their votes in a festive environment.

"A fair environment has been created for the election. Now the Election Commission is only thinking about elections. Voting will be held in a festive atmosphere," Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana said today.

"The commission has already taken control of the polling ground," she added.

As per the commissioner, on 7 January, voting will take place from 8am to 4pm, without any break, using transparent ballot boxes and ballot papers in 299 constituencies.

This time, a total of 1,970 candidates are vying in the national polls. Of them, 1,534 are from 28 political parties, while 436 are independents.

Campaigns marred by code violations

Since the beginning of electioneering, many rules of the electoral code of conduct have been violated by candidates in many constituencies, in various ways, such as assaulting and threatening rival aspirants and tearing down their posters.

The commission, however, failed to stop the code violation spree despite filing complaints, issuing summons and warnings, and imposing fines on the accused candidates. 

For breaching codes, only one candidate got his candidature cancelled by the commission.

The election inquiry committees have so far issued 589 notices summoning candidates – both party-nominated ones and independents – and also their supporters for breaching poll codes during campaigns.

Of them, the highest 131 notices were issued in the Dhaka region and the lowest 21 notices in the Sylhet region. In response to the notices, 384 candidates and their supporters have so far given written explanations to the inquiry committees either directly or through their representatives.

EC warns of tougher action against irregularities

"The Election Commission will take action wherever there is irregularity in polling. If necessary, the polling at the centre will be cancelled," EC Rashid Sultana said.

Meanwhile, members of various law enforcement agencies and the armed forces have already been deployed across the country to maintain law and order on the occasion of the election. 

Ballot papers will be sent to the polling centres on the morning of the election day, marking the first such move in the country's national poll history, to curb probable irregularities and controversies like that in 2018.

However, ballot papers will be sent to more than 4,000 polling stations located in remote areas the day before the voting day, to avoid difficulties related to transportation and communication.

Law enforcers on the field to ensure safe polling 

Members of the armed forces have been on the field since Wednesday to ensure a safe election environment. Before that, members of the police, Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh and Coast Guard were deployed on 29 December. They are working on the election field as mobile and striking forces.

In addition, police and Ansar members are being deployed from tomorrow to ensure security inside the polling centres.

Members of the armed forces will be on duty in 62 districts, while the BGB has been tasked with ensuring security in 45 upazilas in bordering areas. Also, the army will coordinate with the BGB in 47 bordering upazilas and with the Coast Guard in four coastal upazilas.

Besides, the Navy will provide necessary support to the civil administration to ensure the election environment in remote coastal regions.

The Air Force will provide necessary helicopter services to polling stations in remote hilly areas. Adequate numbers of choppers of the Air Force have been kept ready to provide support in case of emergency during the election.

Also, a joint coordination cell has been set up in the Armed Forces Division comprising representatives of various ministries and law enforcement agencies.

Ban on vehicular movement from 12am tonight

Five types of vehicles will be barred from plying on the occasion of the national polls. Taxi cabs, pickups, microbuses and trucks will not be allowed on roads on election day, while motorcycle movement will remain closed for three days.

The Road, Transport and Highways Division announced the ban in a notice issued on 2 January, Sunday.

As per the notification, the plying of taxi cabs, pickups, microbuses and trucks will remain suspended from tonight to 7 January midnight. The ban on motorcycle movement will be effective from 12am tonight to 8 January midnight.

However, the restrictions will remain relaxed on private cars and public transport to facilitate the movement of voters.

Total voters 11.96 crores

As per the final voter list published by the EC for the 12th national parliamentary polls, the total number of voters in the country is 11,96,89,289. 

The commission published the list at its Nirbachan Bhaban office in the capital's Agargaon on Thursday.

Of the voters, 6,07,69,741 are male and 5,89,18,699 are female. Besides, there are 849 transgender voters.