CEC predicts less than 30pc turnout in Dhaka city polls

The chief election commissioner foresees a less than 30 percent turnout in the elections to the Dhaka North and South City Corporations.

“The election was good. I don’t know the percentage [of turnout], but it may be less than 30 percent. I don’t think it will be more than that,” KM Nurul Huda told reporters at his office on Saturday evening.  

He faced questions from the reporters as the polling stations remained almost deserted throughout the day despite vigorous campaign for around a month.

In the 2015 elections to the city corporations in the capital and Chattogram, the average turnout was 43 percent. In the mayoral by-election to Dhaka North last year, it was 31 percent.

There has been no report of major violence but the BNP alleged its agents were driven out of the polling stations while its supporters were being barred from casting their ballots.

Many of the voters, including the CEC and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, also faced trouble while casting their ballots as the electronic voting machines could not read their fingerprints.

The CEC claimed no one was able to cast someone else’s ballot.

“Most of the voters said they voted comfortably,” he said.

He claimed he did not receive any complaint over polling agents having been driven out.

“I’ve seen polling agents of all the parties wherever I went,” Huda said.