Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the Election Commission wants to hold a fair election in Barishal with coordinated effort.

If someone breaks the rules during Barishal City Corporation elections, the candidates have to try to resist it. There will be a presiding officer to whom their polling agents will complain, said the CEC.

“If the presiding officer neglects his duty, we will take strict action against him. You (candidates) also have to perform your duties well,” he said while addressing a meeting with Barishal City Corporation election candidates.

The meeting was organized by the Returning Officer of the election at Barishal Shilpakala Academy hall on Saturday (May 27, 2023) evening.

Also read: Barisal city polls: 7 mayoral candidates get symbols

In the meeting, the CEC listened to various complaints of the candidates and took on board possible solutions and various suggestions.

“Everyone should be awake on Election Day. I am not saying that the election will be held well just because of our efforts. You should try to do the same. It won't be a single attempt by law enforcement. There has to be a concerted effort,” he said.

“Gazipur city election is an example of how the presiding officers will perform their duties properly. The presiding officers performed their duties fairly well. If we get complaints that voters could not go to the centre, could not vote, there were manstans in the centre, they resisted them, then our election will be questioned,” added the CEC.

“The polling agents, you (candidates) will have to resist equally inside. If you show power and say I have to vote, then democracy has been destroyed. If elected, there will be no support from the people. So there will be a call that you will try to develop democracy in a healthy way,” the CEC said.

Also read: Barishal City Polls: 10 Mayoral candidates submit nomination papers

He also announced that all the polling stations in Barishal will have CCTV cameras, like Gazipur.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Md Ahsan Habib Khan and Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Jahangir Alam were present as special guests at the event.