Bangladesh
Elections | Motorcycles Journalists can ride motorcycles on election day: EC
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 25 December 2023: The Election Commission (EC) has said that journalists will be able to use motorcycles on the day of polling in the 12th National Assembly Elections. The issue was revealed in the letter signed by Atiyur Rahman, Deputy Secretary of the Election Management Branch, sent to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges on Sunday.
The poll calls for empowering the Deputy Commissioner or the Metropolitan Police Commissioner/other authority to implement the directive as to when certain vehicles will be stopped.
It is mentioned that according to the schedule, the 12th National Assembly elections will be held on January 7. The movement of taxi cabs, pickups, microbuses, trucks will be stopped from midnight before the day scheduled for polling i.e. 12 midnight on January 6 to 12 midnight on January 7. Also, the ban on motorcycle movement will be in force from 12 midnight on January 5 to midnight on January 8.
However, this restriction will need to be relaxed in certain cases.
a. Law enforcement, armed forces, administration and authorized observers;
b. Vehicles engaged in emergency services and all vehicles carrying medicines, medical and similar products and newspapers.
c. Vehicles used for going to the airport for relatives, returning from the airport with passengers or relatives to their residence or the residence of relatives (on presentation of tickets or similar proof) and any vehicle carrying long-distance passengers or traveling locally as a long-distance passenger.
d. 1 for contesting candidate, 1 vehicle (Jeep, car, microbus etc. small size vehicle) for election agent of contesting candidate (subject to having proper appointment/identity card) permission to move subject to approval of Returning Officer and display of sticker on the vehicle.
e. Allowing movement of journalists, observers or motorcycles used for emergency purposes subject to the approval of the Returning Officer.
