The Election Commission (EC) has requested additional police security escorts for the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), four election commissioners and the senior secretary of the EC Secretariat ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections.
In a letter sent to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner on Saturday, December 13, the EC said special security arrangements are necessary following the announcement of the election schedule on December 11.
The letter was signed by Mohammad Monir Hossain, deputy secretary (Election Management-2 Branch) of the EC Secretariat.
According to the letter, the CEC currently has a police escort with a vehicle, but the commission has sought an additional escort vehicle for him during the election period.
It also requested round-the-clock police escorts, including vehicles, for the four election commissioners and the senior secretary of the EC Secretariat for travel to and from their residences and offices within Dhaka.
The EC said the measures are required to ensure the smooth and secure discharge of election-related duties and asked the authorities to issue necessary instructions.
CEC AMM Nasir Uddin announced the schedule for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections in an address to the nation on Thursday evening, December 11.
According to the schedule, voting will be held on February 12 from 7:30am to 4:30pm.
A referendum on the implementation of the July National Charter will also take place on the same day.
The security request comes amid growing concerns following an incident on Friday, when miscreants shot Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha and a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, just a day after the election schedule was announced.