Rajshahi: The vibrant 20-day election campaign in Rajshahi Division concluded at 7:30 am on Tuesday, setting the stage for the highly anticipated 13th national parliamentary election and referendum scheduled for February 12. As the campaign period ends, candidates and their supporters now eagerly await the ballot battle, underscored by stringent security measures throughout the division.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the two major political contenders, BNP and Jamaat, held large rallies and processions during the final stages of campaigning, mobilizing leaders and activists in a powerful show of strength. The Returning Officer’s office has already begun dispatching election materials as part of the final preparations for the upcoming polls.
Rajshahi Division boasts a total of 16,377,096 registered voters, comprising 8,194,205 males, 8,182,717 females, and 174 transgender voters. The division is equipped with 5,504 polling centers, with 2,533 identified as important centers and 2,971 as general centers. Specifically, Rajshahi district has 2,263,964 voters, including 1,123,904 males, 1,140,035 females, and 25 third-gender voters.
A total of 209 candidates are in the fray for 39 constituencies within the division, while 31 candidates are vying for six constituencies in Rajshahi district. Notable contests include Rajshahi-1 (Tanore-Godagari) where Jamaat nominee Md Mujibur Rahman faces BNP nominee Sharif Uddin, and Rajshahi-2 (Sadar) where BNP’s Mizanur Rahman Minu contests against Jamaat’s Mohammad Jahangir.
According to a Rajshahi Police source, over 110,000 law enforcement personnel have been deployed across the division’s eight districts to ensure a secure election environment. Each upazila will have more than 3,000 security personnel, including 13,796 police members, with 7,605 specifically stationed at polling centers. An additional 6,191 police personnel will be deployed in Rajshahi.
Security measures include the operational deployment of 2,159 body-worn cameras by the Rajshahi Range Police. Each polling center will be secured by 13 Ansar members and four police officers. Additionally, around 500 members of RAB-5 will be stationed in five districts under its jurisdiction, alongside patrols. Furthermore, 700 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members will remain active in six constituencies.
Every polling center across the division will be managed by a presiding officer, with 31,323 polling booths each staffed by two polling officers, totaling 62,646 polling officers. An assistant presiding officer will also be assigned to each booth, with a five percent contingency of officers on standby at district Returning Officer offices.
Sources reported that ballot papers for five parliamentary constituencies, excluding Rajshahi-2 (Sadar), were distributed to the upazila level last Sunday. Executive magistrates, law enforcement, and election officials ensured the ballots were transported under strict security to designated strong rooms. On February 11, these ballots and other voting materials will be sent from the upazila level to polling centers, with Rajshahi-2 (Sadar) ballots dispatched today from Madrasa Maidan to all city polling centers.
Senior Election Officer of Rajshahi district, Motawakkil Rahman, affirmed that preparations are complete and expressed hopes for a fair election. Regional Election Officer Anisur Rahman assured that all necessary measures have been taken to allow voters to exercise their rights without fear.
Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Dr ANM Bazlur Rashid emphasized the deployment of over 110,000 law enforcement members to ensure a peaceful election. “We are ensuring that every voter can come and cast their vote safely,” he added.
Voting will proceed uninterrupted from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm on February 12, coinciding with a referendum on proposed constitutional and state reforms, enabling voters to voice their opinions on the proposed changes.