Polls begins in 14 upazilas, 4 municipal councils in Bangladesh

Polling has began in fourteen upazilas and four municipal councils in seven administrative divisions of Bangladesh.

Voting started in these places at 8am and will continue until 4pm.

Since these polls are on party lines, candidates of Awami League and BNP and other parties are in the fray.

No untoward incident has been reported from any poll location so far.

These are first set of polls in multiple locations conducted by the new Election Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner K M Nurul Huda.

Analysts say these polls provide the new EC with a chance to craft a 'new image of impartiality and fairness'.

They say how they conduct polls in future will become evident from how they conduct the elections on Monday.

The Election Commission is conscious of that.

"No irregularity will be allowed, we will leave no scope for allegations. The polls will be conducted in a fair and impartial manner," EC secretary Mohammed Abdullah told bdnews24.com.

Poll locations

>>> Three upazilas where voters will elect chairman, vice-chairman and female vice-chairpersons are Osmaninagar of Sylhet, Guimara of Khagrachhari, and Jagannathpur of Sunamganj.

>>>  Upazilas where polls for chairman are taking place- Banaripara and Gournadi upazilas of Barisal, Adarsha sadar upazila of Comilla, Sujanagar of Pabna, Hossainpur of Kishoreganj, Boraigram of Natore, Jaldhaka of Nilphamari, Kalaroya of Satkhira, Morrelganj of Bagerhat, Rangabali of Patuakhali, and Ishwardi of Pabna.

>>> Upazilas where polls for vice-chairman is taking place -- Morrelganj of Bagerhat, Jaldhaka of Nilphamari, Kalaroya of Satkhira and Boraigram of Natore

>>> Voting is taking place for electing female chairperson at Pabna's Ishwardi.

>>> The four municipalities where polls are underway are Golachipa of Patuakhali ( for Mayor) ,  Sakhipur of Tangail ( for general ward 2) ,  Arani of Rajshahi ( General ward no 1) and Sherpur ( ward no 7 for councillor) .

>>> Elections to four other upazilas — Kurigram sadar, Kathalia of Jhalakathi, and Comilla sadar (south) and Chauddagram upazilas – will not be held as candidates there have been elected with any contest.

New EC vigilant

The new EC conducted its first polls at Baghaicherri (municipality) on Feb 22. But the polls in 14 upazilas and 4 municipalities are the first multi-location polls under the new EC.

"The image of the new Election Commission will depend very much on how these polls are conducted," Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar has said.

The present EC is keen to avoid the controversies faced by the last EC headed by Kazi Rakibuddin.

"The last EC has faced much criticism in the media. This EC is determined to avoid that and has left nothing to chance," said EC secretary Mohammed Abdullah.

CEC Nurul Huda and his team, which took charge on Feb 15, have extensively toured the areas going to polls on Monday and taken stock of preparations to handle law and order.