CEC reiterates army watch
Staff Correspondent
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) MA Syed yesterday said there is no alternative to deployment of army personnel at every polling centre for the Dhaka-10 by-polls to be free and fair. "The government should deploy army personnel in line with the Election Commission's decision. We've made the decision considering demands of the voters and contesting candidates," the CEC told private TV channel ATN Bangla yesterday at Zia International Airport prior to his departure from Dhaka to Washington. The CEC will return home on August 16. Election Commissioner Safiur Rahman will work as acting CEC until Syed returns. The CEC on June 15 sent a letter to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia asking to deploy army personnel at each of the 103 polling centres. The EC is yet to receive any response from the government. The CEC, however, said he is optimistic that the government will respond positively. The CEC said it is his scheduled family visit and has no link to the by-polls of Dhaka- 10 on July 1 and Gazipur- 2 on August 1.
| 
