Very excited as this is my first vote: Tamim Iqbal

Former national team cricketer Tamim Iqbal cast his vote in the 13th parliamentary election today, Thursday. He voted at around 11:00 am at the public administration polling centre under Kotwali police station in Chattogram.

Speaking to journalists while voting, Tamim Iqbal responded to several questions.

In reply to a query, he told Prothom Alo, “This is the first time I’m casting my vote. I’m very excited.”

He also said that all members of his family had gone to cast their votes.

The centre where Tamim Iqbal voted falls within the Chattogram-9 constituency, which comprises Kotwali and Bakalia police stations in the city.

A total of 10 candidates are contesting in the constituency. The main contest is expected to be between Mohammad Abu Sufian of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and AKM Fazlul Haque, candidate of the Jamaat-led 11-party electoral alliance.

Other candidates in the constituency include Abdus Shukkur of Islami Andolan Bangladesh; Muhammad Wahed Murad of Islami Front Bangladesh; Syed Mohammad Hasan Maruf of Ganosamhati Andolon; Md Shafi Uddin Kabir of the BASAD (Marxist); Mohammad Nayeem Uddin of Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh; Md Nurul Absar Majumder of Nagorik Oikya; Md Haidar Ali Chowdhury of Jonota Dal; and Abdul Momen Chowdhury of JSD.

Chattogram-9 has a total of 416,363 registered voters, comprising 213,906 men, 202,448 women and nine transgender voters.

Voting is being held at 121 centres in the constituency. The centre where Tamim cast his ballot has 5,736 registered voters and is designated for male voters only.

Chattogram district has a total of 16 parliamentary constituencies, with 6,682,517 registered voters overall. Of them, 3,483,887 are men, 3,198,560 are women and 70 are transgender voters.

A total of 24 political parties have fielded candidates across these constituencies, with 115 candidates in total — including 16 from the BNP, 16 from the 11-party electoral alliance and 10 independent candidates.