Public transport, private cars, easy bikes can run on election day

The government will not impose any bar on the movement of public transports and private cars on the election day so that voters can go to the polling centers to cast votes without any hassle.

"How will the voters move and go to the polling centers if a ban is imposed on movement of all transports. Considering it, we are allowing public transports, like local buses or regular route buses and private cars," said Md Mustafizur Rahman, senior secretary of the Public Security Division of the home ministry.

Even easy bikes and auto-rickshaws, which are popular transport in the rural areas, will also be allowed for movement for the voters, Mustafizur said.

A circular will be issued in this regard within a day, he added.

On December 31, Road Transport and Highways Division, in a circular, imposed a ban on the movement of taxi cabs, microbuses, lorries, and trucks between 12:00am on January 6 to 12:00am on January 7.

But the motorbikes will not be allowed on road from January 5 midnight to January 8 midnight, reads the circular signed by the Assistant Secretary of the division Md Jasim Uddin.

The ban will be flexible for law enforcers, armed forces, admin, and approved observers.

All types of vehicles providing emergency services like medicine, health services, and newspaper transportation will be out of the purview.

Even the transports carrying relatives of foreign travellers to and from airports will stay out of this ban but the passengers will have to show related documents like airline tickets, reads the circular.

The circular also reads that one jeep, car, or microbus will be allowed for movement for the election candidate and the candidate's agents with proper stickers and approval from the returning officers.

Besides, the district magistrates can take necessary steps to impose a ban or relax movement of any type of motor vehicles depending on local needs and reality, the circular added.