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Published : 07 Jan 2024, 06:41 PM
Polling in the 12th parliamentary election -- boycotted by the main opposition BNP -- has closed amid sporadic incidents of violence and allegations of irregularities by some candidates.
Balloting took place in 299 constituencies from 8am to 4pm amid a nationwide hartal called by the opposition on Sunday.
The presiding officers allowed voters who were waiting in the queues within the stipulated time to cast their votes afterwards.
Voting in seven of the 42,000 polling stations across 299 seats was suspended due to irregularities.
The Election Commission also disqualified the Awami League's Mustafizur Rahman from the Chattogram-16 race for violating the electoral code of conduct. The incumbent MP allegedly threatened law enforcers during the vote
Despite the relatively peaceful polls, turnout was low. The EC said it recorded 18.5 percent voter turnout till noon and EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said it was 27.15 percent as of 3 pm, an hour before polls closed.
The counting of ballots is now underway and the results will be declared by the presiding officer at each voting centre.
CEC ‘SATISFIED’ BY POLLS
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal expressed satisfaction over the balloting, claiming there have been no reports of large-scale violence and quick steps were taken over irregularities.
Speaking at a media briefing after the end of voting on Sunday, he said the estimated turnout was 40 percent, but it might change after the arrival of the final results.
“There has been no major incident of violence. We took swift steps over irregularities,” he said.
“And it is comforting that there has been no death in election violence, only some small incidents.
Awal said turnout was a major concern for the EC, but the voters “enthusiastically” cast their ballots despite the BNP’s boycott and violent protests.
Regarding the estimated turnout, he said. “We’re yet to receive full information. The number may rise, or may not after the final results arrive.”
To address concerns over ballot-box stuffing, officials will leave out the ballots with no signatures while counting, the CEC said.
A man was murdered in an attack outside a polling station in Munshiganj, but the CEC claimed the incident was not directly connected to the polls.
BOYCOTTS
Candidates for a number of seats have announced a boycott of the general election over allegations of rivals seizing control of polling stations, casting fake votes, and driving their agents out of centres.
They include incumbent MPs, ruling Awami League leaders running as independents, and candidates of the Jatiya Party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement, the Trinamool BNP, and the Gono Forum.
In Sylhet, four candidates for a single seat boycotted the polls.
Jatiya Party aspirants announced boycotts in Sylhet-2, Lalmonirhat-2, Cox’s Bazar-4, Kurigram-4, and Narayanganj-2.
Independent candidates boycotted polls to Sylhet-2, Sylhet-3, Cumilla-11, Cox’s Bazar-1, Cox’s Bazar-3, Tangail-2, Kurigram-4 and Jashore-1.
