Biggest Budget National Election Underway in Bangladesh
The ongoing 12th general election in Bangladesh holds the record for the largest election budget in the nation’s history, estimated at around Tk2,276.22 crores. Out of this expenditure, approximately Tk1,225.62 crore is allocated for maintaining law and order, while the remaining Tk1,050.60 crore is designated for election management activities. The budget may see further adjustments, according to a high official of the Election Commission (EC).
Candidate and Constituencies Details
The election, scheduled for January 7, involves voting from 8 am to 4 pm across 299 constituencies. Voters in these constituencies can cast their votes at approximately 2.60 lakh polling booths in 42,024 polling stations throughout the country. Despite having 300 constituencies, the election will proceed in 299, with a total of 1,969 candidates in the running. Of these, 1,533 are from 28 political parties, and 436 are independents. The EC postponed the election for Naogaon-2 constituency due to the death of an independent candidate.
Ballot Distribution and Campaign Code Violations
The EC has decided to send ballot papers to polling centers across the country on the morning of the election day, excluding remote and hard-to-reach areas, to enhance transparency. The campaign period has been marred by numerous violations of the electoral code of conduct, with the EC struggling to curb violations by issuing notices, summonses, and warnings. Only one candidate had their candidature canceled for code breaches, but they later regained candidacy through a High Court writ.
Security Measures and Vehicular Restrictions
Law enforcement agencies, including police, RAB, Ansar, BGB, and Coast Guard, have deployed approximately 750,000 members to ensure security during the 12th National elections. The armed forces, consisting of 38,154 army members, have been active since Wednesday, coordinating with other forces. Vehicular movement restrictions, including the ban on taxi cabs, pickups, microbuses, and trucks, are in place on election day. Motorcycle movement will remain closed for three days until January 8, while private cars and public transport will have relaxed restrictions.
Voter Statistics and Observer Presence
The final voter list for the 12th national parliamentary polls indicates a total of 11,96,89,289 voters in the country, with 6,07,69,741 male voters, 5,89,18,699 female voters, and 849 transgender voters. The EC approved 20,773 local observers from 84 organizations to monitor the elections, along with 126 foreign observers from 34 countries and 4 organizations. Additionally, 76 foreign journalists are covering the poll. Around 9 lakh polling officers are on duty, including returning officers, assistant returning officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, and polling officers.
