Nation witnesses historic free, fair polls

Staff Reporter :

The nation witnessed a historic free, fair and inclusive national election and referendum after 17 years in the post Zen-Z led July uprising which ousted fascist Hasina to pave the way of this most significant polls.

People across the country franchised their votes in festive moods and in a largely peaceful atmosphere in a historic double-ballot exercise to elect a new government and decide on sweeping constitutional reforms.

The vote counting began after closing the casts at 4:30 pm.

As per reports, the BNP wins 74 and Jamaat-e-Islami gets 38 seats while the report was filing at 11:00pm.

The interim government successfully conducted the 13th Parliamentary election and referendum on Thursday as very few stray incidents were witnessed.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday conveyed his heartfelt appreciation and congratulations to the people of Bangladesh following the peaceful conclusion of voting.

The top leaders of political parties expressed their satisfaction over holding the polls in inclusive and peaceful manners.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman expressed optimism, saying, “Alhamdulillah, we are hopeful about victory.” He said it responding journalists query at his Gulshan Office after casting vote.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafique Rahman said yesterday afternoon in facebook post, “From early morning, people cast their votes in a festive spirit, inspired by the aspiration to uphold justice.”

Dr. Shafique however urged all to be vigilant to foil any conspiracy over voting results.
National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam also warned against irregularities of final vote counting, while talking with journalists.

Polling began at 7:30am and continued uninterrupted until 4:30pm at 42,659
centres in 299 out of 300 constituencies, with nearly one million security personnel and an additional one million polling staff deployed nationwide.

Alongside the parliamentary election, voters also took part in a referendum, casting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ votes on several proposed constitutional amendments.

In the capital, voters started arriving at polling stations early in the morning. As the day progressed, turnout gradually increased, creating a festive atmosphere at many centres.

In different polling stations of Dhaka-8 constituency including Motijheel Model School, the voters found participated the in cheerful mood. Similarly our correspondents found voting in peaceful atmosphere in different constituencies including Dhaka-4, Dhaka-5, Dhaka-6, Dhaka-7, Dhaka-9, Dhaka-10, Dhaka-12, Dhaka-13, Dhaka-15, Dhaka-16 and Dhaka-17.

Till 4.15pm approximately 50pc votes were casted, as per the polling officials’ accounts.
Meanwhile in Rajshahi, Senior District Election Officer Md Motawakil Rahman reported that the average voter turnout across the district’s six parliamentary constituencies ranged between 70 and 72 percent.

In Khulna, Returning Officer and District Commissioner ASM Jamshaid Khandaker said that 61 percent of voters cast their ballots across the district’s six constituencies.

At 4:00pm, Senior Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Akhtar Ahmed stated that between 7:30am and 2:00pm, 47.91 percent of votes had been cast in 36,031 centres out of a total of 42,651 polling stations nationwide.

Voting commenced at 7:30am in 42,779 polling centres across 299 constituencies throughout the country. A total of 127,711,793 voters were registered, including 64,825,361 men, 62,885,200 women, and 1,232 third-gender voters.

In Lakshmipur, District Election Officer Md Abdur Rashid said around 5:00pm that 60.14 percent of voters had cast their ballots across the district’s four constituencies in a largely festive and peaceful environment. He noted that postal ballots had not yet been included in the count.

Turnout figures in Lakshmipur were 60.64 percent in Lakshmipur-1, 60.65 percent in Lakshmipur-2, 60.65 percent in Lakshmipur-3, and 58.62 percent in Lakshmipur-4. The district has 1,605,021 registered voters, including 788,366 women.

In Bogura, District Returning Officer Toufiqur Rahman confirmed in the evening that 69.10 percent of votes were cast across 983 polling centres in seven constituencies, excluding postal ballots.

The constituency-wise turnout was 61.86 percent in Bogura-1 (Sariakandi-Sonatala), 68.55 percent in Bogura-2, 70.51 percent in Bogura-3, 73.45 percent in Bogura-4, 70.32 percent in Bogura-5, 71.15 percent in Bogura-6, and 67.89 percent in Bogura-7.

According to Election Commission data, nationwide turnout reached 47.91 percent by 2:00pm, midway through the nine-hour voting period for both the parliamentary election and the referendum.

Earlier, at 1:10pm, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban that data collected from 32,789 out of 42,651 polling stations showed voter turnout at 32.88 percent at that time.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus cast his vote at the Gulshan Model School and College centre in Dhaka. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman voted at the same centre around 9:40am, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman cast his ballot at 8:15am at Monipur High School (Boys’ Branch). BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir voted at Thakurgaon Government Girls’ High School around 7:40am.

The election in Sherpur-3 constituency was postponed following the death of a contesting candidate.Voters cast their ballots to elect 299 representatives from a total of 2,028 candidates, including nominees from 50 political parties and independent contenders.

A total of 127,298,522 voters in 299 constituencies were eligible to vote, comprising 64,620,077 men, 62,677,232 women, and 1,213 third-gender voters. Across all 300 constituencies, the total electorate stands at 127,711,899.

Two major political parties-the BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-are contesting the election, seeking a mandate to govern for the next five years.

The Awami League, however, is not participating this time, having boycotted the February 15, 1996 election after three decades in active politics.

Of the 59 registered political parties, 50 are taking part in the polls. Among the 2,028 candidates contesting in 299 constituencies, 1,755 are party nominees, while 273 are independent candidates.