To combat violence during 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum, the Election Commission (EC) is set to spend TK 1,213.14 crore across the country.
On the basis of intelligence reports, the EC takes special measures in country's 84 'high risk' violence prone areas while the report said 'the election on 36 constituencies might be postponed."
"Constituencies in the Northern part of the country, bordering areas of Sylhet, Rohingya sheltered Cox's Bazar areas might face militant attacks during the poll," the report mentioned.
As per agencies' reports, 18 constituencies in Dhaka Division including 6 in Dhaka city, 12 constituencies in Rangpur Division, 10 constituencies in Rajshahi division, 20 constituencies in Chattogram Division, 8 constituencies in Khulna Division, 7 constituencies in Mymennsingh Division, 7 constituencies in Barishal Division, 4 constituencies in Sylhet Division and one constituency in CHT are extremely vulnerable.
Of those, Panchagarh 1 and 2, Dinajpur 1,2 4, 5 and 6, Kurigram 4, Gaibandha 4 and 5, Nilphamari 2, and Thakurgaon 2 in Rangpur Division, Naogaon 2, 3, and 4, Rajshahi 4 and 5, Pabna 1, 3, 4, and 5, and Sirajganj 5 in Rajshahi Division, Chuadanga 1, Jhenaidah 3, Jashore 1, Khunla 5 and 6, Bagerhat 4, Narail 2, and Satkhira 1 in Khulna Division, Barishal 5, Barguna 1, and 2, Bhola 1, and Patuakhali 2, 3, and 4 in Barishal Division, Mymensingh 1, 5, 6, 8, and 10, Netrakona 3, and Sherpur 3 in Mymensingh Division, Sylhet 1 and 4, and Moulvibazar 2 and 4 in Sylhet Division, Dhaka 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 in Dhaka City, Chattogram 3, 10 and 11, Brahmanbaria 2, 4, 5, 7 and 11, Cumilla 2, 4, 7 and 11, Noakhali 2, 5 and 6, Lakshmipur 2 and 3, Cox's Bazaar 2 and 4, and Chandpur 4 in Chattogram Division and Rangamati 1 constituencies in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) area are marked red as violence is concerned.
However, police initially categorised 8,770 centres as high-risk, about 16,000 as medium-risk, and roughly 16,000 as general-risk, noting that the exercise was not definitive.
"The amount is not the final amount, if necessary it would be increased as per requirement of the law and order agencies demand," a senior official of the EC secretariat said.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam said, around 24,000 polling centres as high or medium-risk for the 13th Parliamentary Election, roughly half of the total 42,779 centres,
"A total of 1,57,805 police personnel will be involved in election security. Of these, 93,391 will be stationed at polling centres, with the remainder serving in mobile and striking units.
An additional 29,798 personnel from police stations and other units will provide election-related support, bringing the total deployment to 1,87,603", he added.
On militancy, the IGP said there is no "severe" fear of attacks at present but noted precautions remain. He added that threats previously aimed at disrupting campaigns or detonating bombs have largely subsided, and police are now "more or less" assured that polling will proceed safely.
Within the divisions, Dhaka tops the list, with 2,944 polling centres identified as highly risky. The division has a total of 10,162 polling centres. As a single constituency, Brahmanbaria-3 (Sadar) has the highest number of vulnerable polling centres in the 13th parliamentary election, with 121 centres classified as "highly risky", according to police assessments.
At the district level, Kishoreganj has the highest number of vulnerable centres, with 438 of its 887 polling centres across six constituencies marked as highly risky.
The assessments were carried out by the Special Branch (SB) of the police based on factors including political violence, the influence of musclemen, long distances from police stations, difficult terrain, the dominance of particular political parties in certain areas, poor transport links and inactive community policing.
