Elections more important than Covid fears

With several local elections around the corner amid a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has said polls are more important than pandemic apprehensions.

The CEC was speaking after a meeting on the law-and-order situation related to the upcoming municipal and union parishad elections at Barisal Circuit House on Saturday. 

“I do not believe that polls lead to coronavirus transmission,” he said.

“Although elections were held recently in India’s West Bengal, Delhi has been hit the hardest [by Covid-19]. No election was held there. Moreover, the infection rate in the US did not increase after the election either,” CEC Nurul Huda added.

Elections to 208 local government bodies would be held as scheduled on June 21 in Barisal and other areas where Covid-19 infection rates were low, he said.

“However, 163 local government elections in Khulna have been postponed on the advice of the Health Ministry owing to a high test-positivity rate,” the Election Commission chief added.

The CEC thanked the officials concerned for organizing the elections despite the Covid-19 situation. 

He also directed the administration and law enforcement officials to ensure that the elections were held peacefully in a fair manner and urged the candidates to abide by the EC code of conduct.

Meanwhile, the daily infection rate crossed 14pc on Saturday.

Bangladesh recorded 39 Covid-19 deaths and 1,637 cases in the 24 hours between 8am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.