Voter turnout 41.41 percent in third phase of Upazila council polls: EC

A little over 41 percent voters cast their ballots in the third phase of the Upazila council polls, according to the Election Commission.

A total of 116 units of the local government body went to the polls in this phase on Sunday, with all the candidates elected unopposed in six Upazilas.

The EC postponed elections to Katiadi Upazila in Kishoreganj due to allegations of widespread ballot-box stuffing. Two top police officers were also withdrawn.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, who on Sunday said the commission has “no headache” over low voter turnout in the Upazila Parishad elections, came up with the data of the third phase polls on Monday.  

Out of over 18.2 million voters in this phase, over 7.5 million voted for chairman candidates.

Some 165,833 votes were cancelled, finally making the turnout 41.41 percent, according to Helal.

The lowest turnout of 19.26 percent was in Laxmipur Sadar Upazila while the highest number of voters cast their ballots at Tungiparha in Gopalganj – 72.91 percent.

The staggered elections to the local government body are under way amid boycott by the BNP and most other political parties.

The turnout in the first phase of the elections was 43 percent and it dropped to 41 percent in the second phase. Some 28 candidates were elected unopposed in the first phase, 48 in the second phase and 55 in the third.

The ruling Awami League candidates won 52 chairman posts while 31 others were elected unopposed in the third phase.

The Jatiya Party won one and independent candidates 38.

In the first two phases, the Awami League won in total 132 Upazilas, the Jatiya Party in two and independents 61.

The fourth phase of the election is to be held on Mar 31, with the fifth and final phase set for Jun 18.