Returning officer reveals reason of low voter turnout

Returning officer remarked about the low voter turnout at Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail and Ashuganj) by-elections on Wednesday. He said the candidates could not motivate the voters. At the same time the voters also have to have intentions.

Md. Shahgir Alam, also deputy commissioner of Brahmanbaria, said, “It’s the responsibility of the candidates to bring the voters.”

From the very beginning of the by-elections at 8:30 am the voter turnout was very low as of filing of this report at 10:45 am.

Shahgir Alam was talking to newspersons after visiting Annada Government High School centre in Sarail at around 10:15 am.

He said it was not the responsibility of the returning officer to bring the voters. This is the responsibility of the candidates. Weather could a factor for the low turnout of voters. The candidates could not motivate the voters - this could also be a reason. The returning officer will ensure the law and order and security affairs. Ten technical response teams have been working to address any problem with the EVM in the two upazilas, he added.

Lawyer Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, who left BNP and have been contesting the by-elections in Brahmanbaria-2 constituency. Other contestants are Ashuganj upazila unit BNP’s former president Abu Asif Ahmed, Jatiya Party’s central committee joint secretary general Abdul Hamid Bhasani, and Jaker Party’s Zahirul Islam.

Among them, Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan’s main competitor Abu Asif Ahmed remains missing from last Friday. He could not be found as of Tuesday night.

The number of voters in Brahmanbaria-2 constituency is 373,319. Voting is being held at 826 polling stations of 132 centres in EVM.

The voter turnout was seen very low at five centres the Prothom Alo correspondents could visit in the first two hours. There were some polling stations where not a single vote was cast in the two hours.