30-40pc voter turnout in first phase of upazila polls, says CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the voting in the first phase of upazila elections in 139 upazila across the country was held peacefully with around 30 to 40 per cent of voter turnout.

He told this while briefing the journalists at EC office in the capital after the voting ended at 4pm.

Unpleasant incidents were reported in some places, hew said, adding that according to the control room, in 34 incidents, 25 people were injured and law enforcers have detained 37 people in this connection.

But all the incidents were took place outside the polling centres, he added.

He said that the voter turnout was estimated around 30 to 40 per cent.

For the low turnout, the CEC, however, blamed rain in some parts of the country in the morning and the ongoing paddy harvesting season.

Responding to a question Kazi Habibul Awal said it could have been better if the voter turnout was more. But their concern is how the voting went; whether the voters were able to come to the centres and cast their votes freely and whether there were irregularities.

He said, “We have done our duty”.

The balloting began at 8am and continued till 4pm on Wednesday (May 8) without any break.

In first phase, election was held in 139 upazila parishads of Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Faridpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Cumilla, and Chattogram regions.

In this phase, 1,635 people are contesting in this election. Among them, 570 are on the post for chairman, 625 for vice chairman post and 440 are battling for the post of women vice chairman.