CEC: Life is more valuable than polls

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Sunday said that life is more valuable than election.

“The polls will commence with a contest but will not end in violence. It cannot happen that life will be lost in electoral violence,” said the CEC while addressing a view-exchange meeting with the polling officials and law enforcement as chief guest at Chittagong Circuit House on Sunday.

The Returning Officer’s office organized the meeting ahead of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) polls slated for January 27.

“You will contest the polls but that should be within a tolerable limit. The electoral violence has already cost several lives. It is shocking that life is lost in the election violence,” Huda said.

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He also thanked the mayoral and councilor candidates for creating a festive atmosphere ahead of the polls.

Referring to the law enforcement agencies, Huda said: “The identity of a candidate is only as a candidate and nothing else. No other identities of a candidate should be taken into consideration. It is your responsibility to provide them with legal aid.”

Chittagong Divisional Commissioner ABM Azad, Deputy Inspector General of Police Chittagong (Range) Anwar Hossain, Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Saleh Md Tanvir, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Mominur Rahman, and Chittagong Regional Election Officer Md Hasanuzzaman were present at the meeting, among others.

No end to violence

BNP-backed mayoral candidate’s electoral campaigns have come under attack on two occasions since the electioneering resumed.

On January 20, miscreants blasted locally made bombs and vandalized vehicles at BNP’s Nasiman Bhaban office.

On January 20, 140 BNP men were sued and eight of them were arrested in three cases lodged with three police stations in the city.

Also Read - CCC polls: Violence worries cast a pall over festive atmosphere

On January 12, four days after the electioneering campaign resumed, two councilor candidates – ruling party and rebel candidate – engaged in a gunfight at Pathantuli area that left a man dead.

On January 15, the supporters of two councilor candidates locked into a clash at Lalkhan Bazar area that left five injured.

Previously, on March 18 last year, the supporters of two councillor candidates locked into a clash leaving a man dead.