Candidates flout EC order to remove banners, posters within 48-hour deadline
A BNP candidate in Ctg fined Tk50,000
The majority of prospective candidates failed to comply with the Election Commission's (EC) directive to remove all types of campaign banners, posters, and billboards within 48 hours of the schedule announcement for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election.
Observations by The Business Standard correspondents across Dhaka constituencies and other parts of the country indicated that while candidates removed a few banners and posters, most materials remained in place, with some candidates even breaching the EC's instructions by continuing to campaign.
The EC has stated that local magistrates will take action against candidates who disregard the directives, saying that the Commission remains committed to holding a free and fair election.
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The EC instructed the removal of all advanced campaign materials by 6pm today (13 December), 48 hours after the scheduled announcement on Thursday. This instruction was communicated in a letter to the Local Government Division, which mandated that city corporations, municipalities, and union parishads take the necessary action.
Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah had previously warned that failure to comply would result in punitive measures under the electoral code of conduct.
Mixed compliance in capital
A tour of at least eight Dhaka constituencies revealed banners, posters, and billboards belonging to several parties and independent candidates, including the BNP, Jamaat, NCP, Islami Andolon, and Gonosonghoti Andolon. BNP-nominated candidates accounted for the largest volume of materials, though evidence of removals was visible in some areas.
For example, in the Banglamotor to Shahbagh stretch, banners featuring the Dhaka-8 BNP candidate Mirza Abbas were visible on Metro Rail pillars. Conversely, while BNP posters were abundant in the Karwan Bazar area for Dhaka-12, Jamaat-backed posters were seen being removed in other spots.
While Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman publicly directed party activists to remove materials following the schedule announcement, the BNP leadership did not issue a similar top-level directive until later.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told this newspaper that not all candidates were aware of the short deadline and the RPО rules, but confirmed the party had since instructed swift removal, noting some candidates had personally taken part in the process.
Non-compliance outside capital
The situation was similar outside the capital. Although some removal work had begun on posters, banners, and wall writings in parliamentary seats, many remain. BNP candidate for Rajshahi-2, Mizanur Rahman Minu, confirmed that instructions were given to remove materials at their own cost.
In Barishal, the majority of campaign materials remained, despite candidates claiming removal was ongoing. Posters seeking votes for BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Islami Andolan symbols were seen in key city areas.
Candidates from Jamaat and some independents had started removing their materials in Lakshmipur, but posters from other parties were yet to be removed by this evening.
Almost similar scenes were noticed in many other districts, including Kushtia and Faridpur.
Campaigning continues, fines issued
Further breach of the rules was observed with campaigning activities taking place beyond the stipulated deadline today.
In the Chattogram-15 constituency (Satkania-Lohagara), BNP-nominated candidate Najmul Mostafa Amin was fined Tk50,000 by a mobile court. The penalty was imposed after he entered the electoral area today with a large motorcycle show-down and vehicle convoy, constituting a violation of Section 9 of the EC's Code of Conduct.
