Photo: BSS

BHOLA, Feb 10, 2026 (BSS) - With the 13th National Parliament election just a day away, a festive voting mood has swept across the district as thousands of voters return home to exercise their franchise after a long gap.

General voters from different parts of the country—including Dhaka, Chattogram, Jashore, Khulna, Sylhet, Cumilla, Rajshahi and Barishal—have started arriving in Bhola, many of them taking official voting leave. 

Women voters are also returning in large numbers. For many, this election marks their first opportunity to vote in nearly 17 years.

Voters who had been living outside the district for livelihood purposes are coming back in a celebratory atmosphere. The joy visible on their faces resembles the spirit of Eid, as people reunite with families and prepare to cast their votes after years of deprivation.

A visit to the Ilisha Launch Ghat and Ferry Ghat areas of Bhola on Tuesday morning showed heavy crowds of homebound passengers. The terminals were filled with excitement as people shared moments of reunion and anticipation of voting.

Manager of M/s Brothers Navigation Company in Bhola, Md Alauddin, told BSS that the Karnaphuli series of launches is struggling to handle the sudden surge of passengers. “Everyone is returning home for the voting holiday,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bhola Ferry Navigation Company Manager Iqbal Hossain said a large number of passengers are traveling to Borhanuddin and Daulatkhan upazilas using the Tasrif series launches, adding that only nominal fares are being charged.

However, despite the festive mood, passengers reported suffering due to overcharging by launches and other vehicles. Many complained that transport operators are collecting fares higher than the fixed rates, causing hardship for ordinary travelers.

Passengers said that although the national election scheduled for February 12 (Thursday) is being held in a festive atmosphere, excessive fare collection and harassment during travel are diminishing their joy. 

They urged the administration to take effective measures to stop overcharging and ensure smooth travel.

At the Ilisha Launch Ghat, passengers Kamal, Shahidul, Hannan and Kamrul Mia—who returned from Dhaka and Chattogram—expressed similar sentiments. “We have come home with full hearts to vote for the candidate of our choice.,” they said.

Housewife Tahmina Begum, who arrived in Bhola with her family from Khulna, said she became a voter 10 years ago but had never experienced voting before. 

“This time, the joy of returning home to vote for the first time in my life is extraordinary,” she said. “It feels like reclaiming a right that was taken away for years. The eagerness of countless voters reminds me of the spirit of liberation in the struggle to free a shackled democracy.”