Polls postponed in three Bandarban upazilas amid anti-KNF operation by joint forces

The Election Commission (EC) has postponed the local government elections in three upazilas of Bandarban district amid the ongoing military operation by joint forces against the armed hill group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).

The polls for the three upazilas- Thanchi, Ruma and Rowangchhari- will take place later in a more favourable environment, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam told reporters following the sixth inter-ministerial meeting on the voting of upazilas held at the Nirbachan Bhaban at Agargaon in Dhaka today (23 April).

"The polls of the three upazilas have been postponed in line with recommendations from intelligence agencies as the law-enforcement agencies are now being engaged in a joint drive in the areas. The commission will reschedule the elections for these three upazilas at any convenient time," he said.

Voting at Rowangchhari and Thanchi upazila was set to take place on 8 May and in Ruma on 21 May. 

Officials from the Public Security Division, Public Administration ministry, Bangladesh Police, RAB, and other government agencies were present at the meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal.

Besides, the EC secretary said it has been decided that more law enforcement officers will be deployed in the upazila elections than in other local government elections. As the voting will be done in four phases, it will be deployed as per the demand of the authorities concerned at the district level.

He added that platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be deployed to ensure fair polls.

A minimum of two platoons and a maximum of four platoons of BGB will be deployed in each upazila, said Jahangir.

The Bangladesh Police, RAB, army and the BGB launched a joint operation earlier this month to root out KNF from Bandarban following a string of bank robberies, kidnapping and attacks on security checkposts in the district.