Polling underway peacefully across country

18106

DHAKA, Dec 30, 2018 (BSS) – Polling of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad election is
continuing peacefully with a festive mood prevailing in the polling centers
after starting at 8am this morning across the country.

Though the voter turnout was little low in the morning due to cold weather,
but the number rose sharply with the passing of time. The balloting will
continue till 4pm without any break.

Long queues of voters were seen in capital’s Khilgaon Government Girls High
School, Khilgaon Government High School, Shantinagar Little Angels Learning
Home polling centers.

“Though there is a little crowd but the voting is continuing peacefully,”
Shahinur Begum, a voter waiting to cast her ballot in Khilgaon Government
High School, told BSS.

“The balloting is continuing peacefully since it began in the morning. If
it continues like this, we can say the voting will be peaceful. The overall
situation is very good,” Delwar Hossain, presiding officer at Kadamtala
School and College, said.

A total of 1,861 candidates are vying for the polls. Among them, 1,733 are
from political parties and 128 independents.

A total of 10, 42, 38,677 voters, including 5, 25, 72,365 male and
5,16,66,312 female, are scheduled to cast their votes at 206,477 polling
booths of the 40,183 voting centers in 299 constituencies across the country.

The EC is taking votes using Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at all polling
booths in six constituencies for the first time. The constituencies’ are –
Dhaka-6 and 13, Chattogram-9, Rangpur-3, Khulna-2 and Satkhira-2.

In compliance with new electoral rules, a total of 39 registered political
parties are contesting the polls.

About 608,000 members of law enforcement agencies, 66 returning officers,
will perform their responsibilities to conduct the election across the
country.

A total of 4,0183 presiding officers, 20, 7,312 assistant presiding
officers and 4,14,624 polling officers have been appointed for conducting the
election while about 1,328 executive magistrates have been deployed and 640
judicial magistrates are working in 122 electoral inquiry committees during
the polls.

The EC and local administrations have been working relentlessly so that the
voters can return to their respective residences safely after casting their
votes.

BSS correspondents from across the country are sending reports of peaceful
balloting, with separate incidents in one or two centers.

Number of the voters in the 11th parliament election in different polling
centers of 16 constituencies in Chittagong city and district began to
increase with passing of the time.

Officials engaged in different polling centers said though the turn of the
voters was thin in the beginning because of cold weather but it started
increasing later.

Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram, Ilias Hossain,
said the voting was continuing in total peaceful atmosphere excepting some
stray incidents in Patiya and Banskhali.

According to official sources, the concerned government agencies including
district and upazila administrations, Bangladesh Army, RAB, Police and Ansar-
VDP have been working round the clock to make the election a total success.

Our Gazipur correspondent said the voting is going ahead peacefully in the
district with no untoward incidents reported so far.

“The voting is continuing peacefully with the adequate presence of law
enforcement agency members. I hope the situation will prevail till the end,”
Md Mosharraf Hossain, presiding officer at Monnu Textile High School center,
said.

Balloting is continuing in a peaceful manner in all 566 centers in Natore,
with Natore Deputy Commissioner Md Shahriaj saying the authorities is
committed to hold a peaceful and participatory election.

Jhalakathi correspondent said voting started at a time in all 237 polling
centers in the district at 8am in spite of cold weather. The presence of
women voters was significant.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu cast his ballot around 9 am at
Jhalakathi Government High School center. Amu later visited different polling
centers in Nalchiti Upazila.

Joypurhat correspondent too sent report of peaceful voting, with District
commissioner and returning officer Mohammad Zakir Hossain seen visiting
different centers, ensuring festive atmosphere.

Voting started at 8am in polling centers under four constituencies in
Moulvibazar district like elsewhere in the country.

Balloting is going on peacefully in polling centers under three
constituencies in Munshiganj.

Captain of Bangladesh one day cricket team and Narail-2 Awami League
hopeful Mashrafe Bin Mortaza cast his ballot at Narail Technical School and
College center at around 12 noon.

Balloting is going on peacefully in Magura also. Magura-1 Awami League
candidate advocate Saifuzzaman Shekhar casted his ballot at Model Government
Primary School center in Magura town.

Long queues of voters were seen outside the polling centers in Habiganj
district from the morning. Voting is going on in 633 centers under four
constituencies in the district.

Voting in the 11th Jatiya Sangsad elections is going on at all polling
centres in five constituencies in Narsingdi in peaceful atmosphere.

Talking to the BSS, Awami League candidate for Narsingdi-1 Lt Colonel
(retd) Nazrul Islam Hiro MP (Bir pratik) said, the voting is going on in a
peaceful manner in his constituency.

Polling has started peacefully at 8am in all the three constituencies of
Chapainawabganj district. While contacted superintendent of police of
Chapainawabganj TM Mojahidul Islam confirmed this.

The polling is being held in 467 polling centres in which 158 centres under
Chapainawabganj-1, 159 centres in Chapainawabganj-2 and 150 centres in
Chapainawabganj-3 constituencies.

In Sylhet, the national election is being held in a peaceful and festive
atmosphere with impressive participation of all ages of voters.

Long queues of voters were seen in the polling centre at Haji Shah Mir
Govt. Primary School in Shahi Eidgah area in the district. Same picture was
seen in other polling centres in the Sylhet city.

Yasmin Haque told the news agency that she cast her vote in a peaceful
atmosphere. Like Yasmin, many voters expressed their satisfaction over
peaceful environment in the district.

In Netrokona, the 11th parliamentary election is being held in five
constituencies under the district fairly and peacefully amidst tight
security.

Reports reaching here from the five constituencies said that voting
starting from 8am in all the 617 vote centres of the five constituencies
under the district and will continue till 4 pm without any break.

The voting of the 11th parliament election is also going on in Manikganj
peacefully. Returning Officer S M Ferdous expressed his satisfaction as
voters cast their votes in a peaceful atmosphere.

The general election is continuing peacefully with a festive mood in
different districts including Satkhira, Narayanganj, Gopalganj, Naogain,
Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Kushtia districts.