Election Commissioner Md. Alamgir on Monday said the Election Commission (EC) is not using CC cameras in the by-elections of the vacant five parliamentary seats left by BNP MPs' resignations due to lack of budget.

He said this in his office at the election building to the reporters.

"There is no budget for installing CCTV cameras in this election. Installation of CC cameras is not possible with Annual Development Programme(ADP) allocation. ADP money can be spent on projects. For CC cameras, money has to be allocated from the revenue sector," he said.

Saying 'CC cameras are not a solution'

Commissioner Alamgir said the Election Commission (EC) does not see any need for this device. Many elections did not have CCTV cameras, yet no incidents occurred.

Read more: By-elections to 5 vacant seats of BNP MPs on Feb 1, 2023

"Polls for five seats will be competitive. It will have balance. As a result, there will be no need for CC cameras," he added.

The commissioner also said that the commission can meet and take a decision if necessary to use it as there is plenty of time for selection.

By-elections to the five parliamentary seats, left vacant after BNP MPs resigned, will be held on February 1, 2023.

EC will conduct the by-polls to parliamentary seats -- Thakurgaon-3, Bogura-4, Bogura-6, Chapainawabganj-2 and Brahmanbaria-2.

The EC secretary said candidates can submit their nomination papers till January 5. Returning officers will scrutinize the nomination papers on January 8 and January 15 has been set as the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

On December 11, five out of seven BNP members of the parliament (MPs) submitted their resignation to Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, as part of their anti-government movement with a 10-point demand that includes dissolution of parliament.

The MPs who resigned were: Md. Zahidur Rahman, Thakurgaon-3; Md. Mosharof Hosen, Bogura-4; Gulam Mohammad Siraj, Bogura-6; Md. Aminul Islam, Chapainawabganj-2; and Rumeen Farhana, from women’s reserved seats.

Read more: Democratic practice won't develop without electoral competition: CEC

Md. Harunur Rashid of Chapainawabganj-3, who is now in Australia and the ailing MP of Brahmanbaria-2 Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan could not submit their resignations to the Speaker in person.

The seven MPs sent their resignations through email on the same day.

The Parliament Secretariat published a gazette notification announcing the parliamentary seats as vacant after their resignation.