ZCZC
BSS-20
POLLS-DHAKA
Voting in city witnesses huge turnout, festivity
DHAKA, Dec 30, 2018 (BSS) – Voting for the 11th parliamentary election was held today in the city in a festive atmosphere under strict security measures with huge turnout in each polling centre.
BSS correspondents visited different polling centers of the capital and talked to the presiding officers, who said the voters’ turnout was huge. They said there was no incident of violence.
A large number of voters, including women and aged persons, were seen standing in long queues to cast their votes spontaneously at different polling centers in the city.
The BSS correspondents visited around 30 polling centers which cover the areas of all parliamentary constituencies in the city.
No untoward incidents were reported in the areas. As part of security arrangements, members of police and Ansar were seen guarding the polling stations while the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh Army were patrolling the electoral areas as striking forces.
Visiting the centers, including T&T High School, Ideal School and College, Mirza Abbas Mohila Degree College, Kadamtala East Bashabo School and College and Suritola Model Govt High School, the BSS correspondents witnessed peaceful voting everywhere.
Talking to the BSS, Presiding officer Sadiqul Alam of the Ideal School and College center said around 70 per cent out of the total 1,898 voters in the center cast their votes till 1.30pm.
On a query, the presiding officer said all voters of the locality were coming spontaneously and fearlessly to cast their votes and expressed his hope that the vote casting would be 80 to 85 per cent at the end.
An elderly voter, Mujibur Rahman Bhuiyan, 70, came to the Moghbazar BTCL Ideal School Center to cast his vote. “I voted in the national election many times. This time too, I have exercised my franchise,” said Mujibur with satisfaction over the environment of the voting center.
Jarina Begum, 60, a poor lady of the Dhaka-6 area, who also cast her vote at the Suritola Model Govt High School, said, “I have cast my vote for the first time through Election Voting Machine (EVM) without hassle.”
Presiding officer Firoz Al Ferdous of the Suritola Model Govt High School center said they had earlier arranged mock voting to educate the newly introduced voting system. “So, we are taking votes through the new system without hassle,” he added.
He said voters came spontaneously to elect their favourite candidate and a notable number of votes were cast till 1pm.
In Dhaka-11constituency, Awami League’s AKM Rahmatullah is contesting against BNP’s MA Kaiyum. A good number of female voters were seen standing in queues at North-East Badda Government Primary School where the total number of voters is 3,738.
Hosne Ara, a voter of the center, said, “I have exercised my franchise and cast my vote to a qualified candidate.” A senior citizen named Jamshed Alam, 75, was coming back after casting his vote at North Badda Islamia Kamil Madrasha. He said, “I have got my slip without any hassle and cast my vote.”
SM Arif, a garment employee, said that he could cast his vote in a peaceful atmosphere.
“I got my voter slip via SMS (Short Message Service). I thank the Election Commission for making such arrangements,” he added.
Shamsul Haque Farazi, presiding officer of the North Badda Islamia Kamil Madrasha center, said the center has 2,508 voters and around 1,200 votes were cast till 12 noon.
Long queues were seen outside Mohakhali Abdul Hamid Dorji Government Primary School and Mohakhali Model High School.
In the Dhaka-12 constituency, Home Minister Assaduzzaman Khan Kamal cast his vote at Tejgoan area.
BSS/BKD/MMN/KAK/KUC/GA/1633 hrs