Rab, Other Teams Reach Ghatail
67 of 96 poll centres 'risky'
The Election Commission (EC) has taken huge security measures to hold the Tangail-3 (Ghatail) by-election, slated for November 18, free and fair. Over 500 members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) including 50 officials from different units of the elite force reached Ghatail and set up their cams at the Dak Bungalow and Ghatail GBG College in the upazila headquarters till yesterday, Rab sources said. The Rab men including 32 patrol teams and 150 personnel from its intelligence and media wings will perform their duties in the by-election as per direction of the EC, they added. Besides, a large number of law enforcers of Border Guard Bangladesh, police and Detective Branch, including plainclothesmen, will work to maintain law and order in the election, EC sources said. The EC has identified as risky 67 out of a total 96 polling centres in the constituency and special security measures have been taken for these centres, said Sharifa Khatun, election officer in Ghatail upazila. "Forty magistrates including four judicial magistrates, four mobile courts, and vigilance and observation teams comprising officials of the upazila administration are performing duty in the constituency. "Several check posts have been set up at different strategic points in the constituency to resist movement of outsiders. "Two electoral inquiry committees led by a joint district judge and a senior assistant judge are also performing duty in the by-election for maintenance of RPO and election code of conduct," she said. Three candidates in the by election are Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, a 'rebel' Awami League leader taking part in the election as an independent candidate (symbol -- pineapple), and Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) nominated candidate Syed Abu Yousuf Abdullah Tuhin (symbol -- plough) have already sought deployment of army in the by-election to prevent 'possible rigging' while ruling Awami League nominated candidate Shahidul Islam Lebu (symbol -- boat) expressed his 'no objection' to the matter. Khurshid Anwar, returning officer for the by-election, also election officer in Mymensingh region, said, "Situation in Tangail-3 constituency ahead of the by-election is still peaceful. The Election Commission officials are taking all kinds of measures to ensure safety of the voters and hold the election free and fair."
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