Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal estimated that 40% of voters cast their ballots in the 12th parliamentary polls on Sunday (January 7).
“Although we are not sure yet, but on average the turnout was 40%,” he said at a press conference at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka this evening.
Earlier in the day, Kazi Habibul Awal refused to reply regarding voters turnout in the polling centres.
“I don't know anything about voter turnout. I came and cast my vote, that's all I know,” he said while talking to journalists outside a voting centre in capital's Shantinagar area after casting his vote at 8:30 am.
"I will request people to go and vote," he said, adding he was feeling good about the polls started across the country.
When asked about less voter presence, the CEC said, "I don't know about voter turnout. My job is to arrange voting."
“Our law and order forces will see who comes to vote, who doesn't, violence will happen or won't happen,” he said.
A total of 1,970 candidates, including 1,534 from 28 political parties and 436 independents, were vying in the polls.
Of the candidates, 266 from the ruling Awami League (AL), 265 from Jatiya Party (JaPa), 135 from Trinomul BNP, 66 from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD), 122 from National People's Party (NPP), 13 from Jatiya Party (JP) and 10 from Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh contested in the polls.
A total of 90 female candidates, including from political parties and independents, and 79 from ethnic minority and other groups joined in the polls.
A required number of members of law enforcement agencies were deployed across the country to ensure the security of the voters so that they can go to polling centres, exercise franchise and return home safely.
About 8 lakh members of law enforcement agencies, including 182,091 from police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), 1,155 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members, 505,788 Ansar and VDP members and Coast Guard personnel, were tasked with ensuring overall security during the elections across the country.
BDST: 1819 HRS, JAN 07, 2024
MN/SMS
