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Displaying posters or banners to request votes or nominations prior to the official commencement of the campaign is a violation of the electoral code of conduct. Nevertheless, Dhaka has already been covered with such materials well before the allocated timeframe.
The Election Commission on November 18 requested prospective candidates for the upcoming national parliamentary election to remove campaign materials. However, despite the directive, these materials remained in position ten days prior to the commencement of the campaign. Additionally, the commission issued a notice to the Local Government Division, urging them to implement necessary measures.
Electoral symbols will be allocated on December 18, kicking off the campaign for the January 7 vote, according to a bdnews24.com report.
The aspirants and their supporters from the ruling Awami League have been campaigning seeking nomination or votes for the past few months while the main opposition BNP has called for a boycott of the election.
Banners seeking votes for Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, the ruling party’s candidate for Dhaka-6, were also seen in the Ray Saheb Bazar area of Old Dhaka. The banner says Jubo League’s ward No. 42 unit hung it.
Khokon said he was not aware of any banners or posters for him.
Ismail Molla, the councillor of Dhaka North City Corporation’s ward No. 13, used posters seeking votes for the Awami League from the street from Dhaka Dental College to the Mirpur-10 roundabout.
“It has become a bad example. I’m removing them, but there are so many that the process is taking time,” said Ismail.
The city corporation in January issued a notice reminding all that sticking posters on walls is banned by the law and can be punished with fines from Tk 5,000 to Tk 10,000.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said they regularly conduct drives to remove posters and banners. He suggested limiting the election campaign to digital media only to keep the city clean.
Abu Naser, a Dhaka South City Corporation spokesman, said they worked to remove posters throughout last week and more drives will be conducted next week.