DHAKA, Dec 25, 2023 (BSS) - Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman today said that metropolitan police are determined to ensure safety of the city voters so that they can exercise their franchise going to polling stations safely in the January 7 general elections.

"We are determined to ensure voters' safety so that people can go to the polling stations to cast their votes in the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls," he said.                                                                                                                                                                       
The DMP chief said this replying to a question from journalists after attending a view-exchange meeting with councilors of Dhaka north and south city corporations over law and order situation at Bangladesh Police Auditorium at Rajarbagh Police Lines in the city.

Describing the objective of the meeting with councilors of Dhaka city, Habibur said they are elected public representatives and engaged in public service while the DMP provides legal services to the city dwellers.

"We listened to the councilors about the law and order issues in their respective areas and assured them of solving those," he said, adding that it was also discussed in the meeting that along with police, how they (councilors) can prevent the vandalism and arson-terrorist activities being carried out by some political parties in recent times.

The law enforcement agencies are properly discharging their responsibilities entrusted by the Election Commission (EC) to maintain law and order in the elections, the DMP chief said, adding, "We all are determined to ensure that people can get to the polling stations and vote safely".

"Casting or not casting vote (willingly) is a democratic right. But resisting voting is not a democratic right," he said, adding, therefore, it is the constitutional responsibility of every citizen, public representative and police personnel to prevent the ill-efforts of those who will try to obstruct the voting.

DMP Additional Commissioner (admin) AKM Hafiz Akter, Additional Commissioner (crime and operation) Dr Kh Mahid Uddin, Additional Commissioner (logistics, finance and procurement) Muha. Ashrafuzzaman, Additional Commissioner (counter terrorism and transnational crime) Md Asaduzzaman, Additional Commissioner (detective branch-DB) Mohammad Harun Or Rashid attended the meeting, among others.