Comilla voters shake off militancy fears

Voter turnout was high in Thursday’s Comilla City Corporation polls, despite the counter-terrorism operation underway at a militant den nearby.

Officials have started counting ballots after polls closed at 101 voting centres at 4pm. Voting has been suspended in two stations over irregularities.

The Election Commission says it expects the voter turnout to be 75-80 percent.  

Two polling centres are only a kilometre north of the house surrounded by security forces and another is two kilometres to the southwest. Voters have been coming to the centres since early Thursday morning, eager to cast their ballots.

As security forces close off traffic in front of the Bhuiyan Bari Mosque in Ward -24 near the operation zone, men and women used the opposite side of the road to go in and out of the polling centre.

“I am returning after casting my vote,” said Afroza Akhter, a local resident. “It is a bit more difficult without rickshaw service, but it isn’t too much trouble.”

Security forces around the suspected militant den which has been cordoned off since Wednesday.

Only one building is particularly close to the one surrounded by security forces, said BED College employee Shahabuddin, as he was standing in front of a shop along with three other voters.

The others are a bit far. As a result, the operation has not caused too much trouble. People are simply using a different route to reach the polls.

Long lines of voters were seen at the two polling centres in Ward 21. At 11am four lines of women voters were seen at the Gandhamati Government Primary School centre in South Baghmara.

Hasina Akhter accompanied an elderly relative to the polling centre.

“The voting situation is quite good,” Hasina said after she cast her own vote.

Waiting in another line was Kotbari voter Nurun Nahar.

“I was a bit worried yesterday,” she told bdnews24.com. “But it could not stop us from voting. Look at the size of the crowd.”

Long queue of voters at a centre within two kilometres of the anti-terror operation site.

According to the centre’s Presiding Officer Mozammel Hossain, 400 of the centre’s 2,064 voters had cast their ballots by 10am. In his opinion, the militant den operation had not affected turnout.

The crowd was smaller at the men’s polling centre at the Central Government Laboratory School around 11am. But Zakir Hossain, who was standing in line, said this was because many had cast their votes and left.

“Work hours have started,” he said. “More will come around evening.”

Asked about the militant raid, Cantonment Board Official Zakir said, “Things are normal.”

Residents heading to their homes after casting their votes as police guard the street leading to the 'terror den.'

The Shalbon Bihar Primary School Centre lies two kilometres from the site of the operation. Long lines of men and women were seen waiting to vote there around 10am.

“The situation seems fine,” said Abul Kashem, a voter in his mid-sixties. “There seem to be no problems.”

The same mood was shared by Monjuara Begum and Morsheda Begum, who were waiting in the women’s line.

Though BNP polling agents and activists had initially been blocked from the Shalbon Bihar centre by Awami League activists, security forces brought the situation under control.

“We took steps according to the complaints we received,” said Assistant Returning Officer Ataur Rahman, who had gone to the scene to handle the situation. “We were able to ensure the polling agent’s entry.”