The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday sent a list of Officers-in-Charge (OCs) of 338 police stations to the Election Commission (EC) seeking its approval for their transfer.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Administration, in the second phase, sent another list of 100 more Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) for the same purpose.
Earlier on December 4, in the first phase, the Ministry of Public Administration had sent a list of 67 UNOs for the approval of their transfer.
As part of various measures taken for ensuring the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election slated for January 7, 2024 free and fair, the EC has decided to make a reshuffle in the local administration and in the law-enforcement agencies as well.
EC officials said main objective of the reshuffle in the local administration and law-enforcement agencies is to ensure a level-playing field for all the candidates.
As part of the decision, the EC authorities on November 30 sent separate letters to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration asking them to reshuffle at the UNO and OC levels.
In response to the EC letters, the Ministry of Public Administration on December 4 had sent a list of 67 UNOs seeking the approval of their transfer. With the EC approval those 67 UNOs were transferred earlier.
Now, the Ministry of Public Administration sent another list of 100 UNOs more to the EC seeking approval for their transfer.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Home Affairs also sent a list of 338 OCs to the EC seeking approval for their transfer.
EC officials said transfer orders for those UNOs and OCs will be issued by the ministries concerned after the approval of the EC.
Sources said the EC is also thinking of about the transfer of a
large number of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of different districts.
Meanwhile, DCs of Sunamganj and Mymensingh have already been transferred earlier.
Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration said the lists have been sent to the EC with recommendations for their transfer. But, the EC will finalise the list through scrutiny.
An official of the Ministry of Public Administration said the list has been prepared as per the directives of the EC, but it will be finalized by the EC authorities.
Sources said the EC has decided to make a reshuffle the local administration and law-enforcement agencies on the basis of reports received from the field levels.
Earlier on December 4, Ashok Kumar Debnath, Additional Secretary of the EC, said as per the commission’s decision, a larger number of DCs, 250 UNOs and 320 OCs will be transferred across the country in phases.
As per the Representation of the People Order (RPO) related to the national election laws, none of the government officials and employees could be transferred without the consent of the EC.
He said OCs serving at their present workplace for more than six months and UNOs serving at their present workplace for more than a year will be transferred first.
Meanwhile, according to a notification issued by the EC on Monday, the commission has extended the deadline for submission of transfer proposals for OCs from December 5 to December 8.
In order to ensure the JS polls free and fair, the EC authorities have taken various other measures. The EC formed 300 Pre-election Judicial Enquiry Committee for maintaining the electoral code of conduct and ensuring safety and security to the candidates and voters.
Besides, 802 Executive Magistrates have been engaged for the same purpose while over 7.5 lakh personnel from different law-enforcement agencies, including Police, RAB, BGB, Ansar and Coast Guard, will be deployed across the country.
In addition, a large contingent of Army personnel will also be engaged across the country.
Electoral symbols will be distributed among the candidates on December 18. Candidates will be allowed to run campaign from December 18 to 8:00pm on January 5.
Alongside 774 independent candidates, a total of 29 out of 44 registered political parties are taking part in the elections.
