EC satisfied with polls environment, hopes turnout will increase

The Election Commission (EC) is satisfied with the turnout and voting environment in the first three hours of the Barishal and Khulna City Corporation elections.

Election commissioner Ahsan Habib Khan made the observation upon watching the voting through close circuit cameras and report from the field-level observers.

Ahsan Habib Khan said, “The voters are exercising their franchise with enthusiasm amid festivity. We hope the turnout will be better than in the past.”

The EC is observing the voting from the capital’s Nirbachan Bhaban through CCTV camera installed in polling centers.

Ahsan Habib said peaceful environment is prevailing and voting through EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) is going smoothly without any delays. The number of voters would increase as the day progresses, he hoped.

Close circuit cameras have been set up in every polling booth in Khulna and Barishal. A total of 1146 CCTV have been installed in Barishal and 2,310 in Khulna. The voting started in two cities at 8 in the morning and scheduled to continue till 4:00pm.

EC Ahsan Habib said presence of so many voters were out of their imagination. The steps taken by the commission have assured and encouraged the voters to come to polling centers.

He said two teams comprising 10 members each are observing the polling situation in the two cities. EC’s additional secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath is leading the observer team in Barishal while joint secretary Md Moniruzzaman is leading the EC’s 10-member team. Administration and law enforcers have so far maintained the law and order situation aptly.

The EC hopes the elections to two cities would end well, added the commissioner.