BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, now in jail, is not casting her vote though her party is taking part in today's polls.

It is as she had not sought any postal ballot from the election authorities.

According to the Representation of the People Order, 1972 and the Electoral Rolls Act 2009, a jailed person is entitled to vote through a postal ballot and for that to happen, he or she has to apply to the returning officer concerned within 15 days of the announcement of the polls schedule. 

Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin yesterday said he was not aware of Khaleda applying for the postal ballot. “The returning office concerned will be able to speak about it.”

KM Ali Azam, returning officer for the constituencies in Dhaka city corporation areas, said he had not received any application from the BNP chief.

Khaleda has been behind bars since February 8 when a special court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in a corruption case.

She filed nominations for Bogura-6, 7 and Feni-1. But during scrutiny, the ROs concerned rejected all of her nomi nation papers on ground of her conviction in criminal cases.

The High Court rejected three of her petitions challenging the EC's decision that had upheld the cancellation of her nomination papers by the ROs.

Her archrival Sheikh Hasina, who is seeking a third term in a row in office, will cast her vote at a polling centre at Dhaka City College.

Awami League's Assistant Office Secretary Biplob Barua said the AL president was expected to cast her vote in the morning.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda would cast his vote at the IES School and College centre in Sector-5 of the capital's Uttara in the morning, EC Joint Secretary SM Asaduzzaman said.

Jatiya Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain will be casting his vote at the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College center in the morning, Latiful Bari Hamim, a staffer of the alliances media wing, told The Daily Star.

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad will not vote “due to poor physical condition,” Maj (retd) Khaled Akhter, the JP chief's personal aide, told this newspaper.

Raushan Ershad, opposition leader in parliament and senior co-chairperson of the Jatiya Party, is likely to vote at Radha Sundari Girls' High School in Mymensingh Sadar within 10:30am, said Md Mamun, public relations officer of the leader.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is likely cast his vote at the Thakurgaon Government Girls High School in Thakurgaon town around 9:00am, said Sayrul Kabir, member of the BNP chairperson's media wing.