CHITTAGONG: Strong contingents of law-enforcing agencies, led by executive magistrates armed with power of holding spot trial, started policing work Thursday in the run-up to the much-watched Chittagong City Corporation polls as the authorities are pledge-bound to make the June 17 vote free, fair and peaceful.

Twenty executive magistrates will now oversee the pre-election policing operation and conduct summary trial in case of lawbreaking in 40 wards.

Some 40 teams of police have been deployed to maintain law and order before and during the elections in the sprawling port city—considered a hotbed of politics and also concomitant acts of violence.

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, assistant commissioner of CMP detective branch, told banglanews24.com.bd that six police personnel will be with the magistrates during round-the-clock operations, apart from the 40 teams of patrols.

He added, “Twenty-one more magistrates will run mobile courts in the voting areas from 11 June.”

The strict security alignment is necessitated for intense political rivalries between the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP, as the CCC election is apparently going to be a straight tough fight between the mayoral candidates set by the two camps.         

BDST: 1550 pm, 3 June 2010
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