Second phase of upazila elections begin with polls at 116 upazilas

Voting has begun at 116 upazilas in 15 districts in the second stage of the upazila parishad elections.

Polls opened at 7,039 centres at 8 am and will close at 4 pm.

A total of 17,909,006 voters can cast their ballots in this phase of the elections. Monday has been declared a holiday in the relevant constituencies.

The BNP and most other opposition parties are boycotting this phase of the elections, as they had the first phase.

Though 127 upazilas had been scheduled to hold elections in this second phase, polls at 13 upazilas were either put off or cancelled because they were moved to a separate phase, under court orders or because there was only one candidate in certain constituencies.

Awami League chairman candidates at 23 upazilas have been elected unopposed. Vice chairmen candidates at 13 upazilas have been elected unopposed, as have 12 upazila women vice chairmen.

Opposition candidates did not stand for any posts at Pabna Sadar, Faridpur Sadar, Naogaon Sadar, Chattogram’s Mirsarai and Raujan and Noakhali’s Hatiya. As a result no elections are being held in those constituencies.

But a total of 377 candidates are vying for upazila chairmen seats, 548 for vice chairmen seats and 400 for women vice chairmen seats in this phase of the elections.

Voting has been delayed at six upazilas and the election at Gaibandha’s Gobindganj has been stayed.

In addition to law enforcers, army personnel have been deployed at eight Khagrachhari upazilas, seven Bandarban upazilas and 10 Rangamati upazilas to provide security.