Vote casting rate could be 30-40pc: CEC

Voter turnout in the first phase of Upazila Parishad Election is likely to be 30-40 per cent, said Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday.

He further said some untoward incidents took place and 37 people involved with 34 such incidents were detained while polling was postponed in two centres.

The CEC was speaking to the media after the completion of voting at 139 upazilas in the first phase of ongoing Upazila Parishad Election at the Nirbachan Bhaban (election commission building) in the capital’s Agargaon in the afternoon.

Voting began at 8:00 am and continued uninterruptedly until 4:00 pm.

Earlier, the election commission said the rate of vote cast could be between 15-20 per cent in the first four hours while it was said that the voter turnout was some 7-8 per cent in the first two hours.

While talking to the media, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal said, “We have received information that the election was free, fair, unbiased and peaceful. Some people sustained injuries in a few untoward incidents while minimal irregularities took place at some centres. That is why we took some immediate steps and voting has been postponed in two centres.”

Praising the law enforcement agency members, the chief election commissioner said the agency members carried out their duties professionally. That is why the law and order situation was better. A few isolated incidents took place, at the minimal level.

“According to our control room, 34 incidents have taken place and 37 people were detained in connection with those. None of those clashes took place inside the polling centres. Some people sustained injuries in chase and counter-chase outside the polling centres,” he told the media.

The CEC informed the media that voting took place at 10,399 centres. Of them two were suspended.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said there could be different reasons for the low turnout of voters.

“As we tried to know the matter, we were informed that many people could not come to cast their vote as they went to harvest their paddy. There were storms and rains at some places. That also could be another reason,” he told the media.

"My issue is, whether the voters are arriving or not, whether they could cast their ballot, whether there were any incidents of irregularity, if there is any chaos after counting the ballots," he stated.

The CEC declined to make any comment on the newspersons’ question on whether or not he was happy with the voter turnout.