DHAKA, Dec 31, 2023 (BSS) - Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal today asked the executive magistrates concerned to discharge their electoral duties at the field level with transparency so that a free, fair and neutral election can be held on January 7.

"Executive magistrates should carry out their electoral duties with transparency at field level. In this election, we have to prove at any cost that the government can organize a fair, free, impartial and acceptable election through the Election Commission (EC)," he said.

The CEC said these while speaking at the inaugural session of a day-long training program for executive magistrates at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital as chief guest.

Noting that the duty of a magistrate in the election is very important, he said additional 2,000 executive magistrates will be engaged at the field level in the polls.

There is an attempt to resort to some ill measures to violate the code of conduct on the day of polling and the day before polling such as sealing and filling up ballot boxes and taking control of polling centers.

Thus, the voters are discouraged from the election, he said.
He urged all concerned not to allow in the polling centre any uninvited person.

"Your responsibility is to build trust and confidence among the people by taking immediate steps," he said.

He called for creating a sound environment on polling day so that the voters can cast their votes without any fear.

The media representatives and observers should enter freely, Awal said, adding that the media workers can freely enter the polling station and roam aiming to publish news on polling day.

If the people see in the media that the environment is good inside the polling centers and the voting is being taken transparently, then the election will be held in a fair manner, he said.

He said that eight lakh polling officers and eight lakh members of law enforcers will be engaged in the work of voting in the upcoming 12th national elections.

Being a member of the United Nations, this election process has got an international dimension, he said.

With EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam in the chair, the program was attended, among others, by Election Commissioner Md Anisur Rahman and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mohammad Mezbah Uddin as special guests.