MOHIUDDIN ALAMGIR

The Election Commission yesterday asked the government to measures so that no political programmes other than for electioneering take place from December 18.

In a letter to the home ministry, the EC said people running for parliament would start campaigning on December 18.

Political parties should be stopped from holding rallies and other public events that may obstruct the election process and discourage people from casting their vote, according to the letter addressed to the senior secretary of the Public Security Division of the home ministry.

The measures should be in place until after the election on January 7.

The BNP, its allies, and several left-leaning political parties have been demanding that the national election be held under a non-partisan polls-time government.

The parties have boycotted the election. The BNP and several other opposition parties have been enforcing blockades and strikes in protest.

Besides, Hefazat-e-Islam, an islamist organisation, recently announced a rally in Dhaka on December 29.

Several sources said the EC believes it can make the political parties participating in the election abide by the electoral code of conduct.

However, the EC itself has no direct scope to take action against parties, they said.

Besides, voters may get scared if law and order deteriorates due to the anti-election political programmes, they said, adding that such programmes can result in low turnout.

Several EC sources said the commission had not sent such letters ahead of the three previous elections.

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