
Kazi Habibul Awal, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), stated today that the voter turnout for the first phase of the 6th upazila parishad polls is expected to range between 30 to 40 percent.
“The voter turnout may fall between 30 and 40 percent. . . The voting rate might have been impacted by rain in the morning and the majority of people being engaged in paddy harvesting,” he informed journalists this afternoon following the initial phase of the local government elections.
CEC Awal remarked, “Today, the first phase of the election took place in 139 upazilas nationwide… From the information we’ve gathered, the elections were conducted in a free, fair, and peaceful manner, despite some isolated incidents.”
Discussing security concerns, he noted, “There were reports of violations of electoral rules in some areas, and clashes between rival groups resulted in injuries to several individuals in a few centers.”
He mentioned that polling was suspended in two centers due to violence, adding that law enforcement agencies and local administrations remained vigilant to uphold law and order in and around the polling sites.
According to the election control room, Kazi Habibul Awal reported a total of 34 untoward incidents, resulting in 25 injuries. Additionally, 37 individuals were apprehended by the police for their involvement in these incidents.