3rd phase of UZ polls: Voting in 87 upazilas underway

The third phase of the upazila parishad elections is underway in 87 upazilas across the country.

Voting began at 8:00am. It will continue until 4:00pm.

According to election experts, the third phase of the elections may have a low turnout due to a lack of enthusiasm and festivity among voters, as seen in the last two phases.

Photo: Laltanlian Pangkhua

They are concerned that today's polls will result in one-sided competition due to the general apathy toward the electoral process, as evidenced by 36 percent voter turnout in the first phase and 38 percent in the second phase -- the lowest turnout since 2009, when it was 70.57 percent.

The battle of ballots is taking place among the independents, mostly from the ruling Awami League, as other political parties have not fielded any candidates.

The BNP, among other parties, is staying away from the polls as it did in the January 7 election, saying that the incumbent Election Commission is not capable of holding the elections for local government bodies in a free and fair manner.

Mollakandi Government Primary School centre in Munshiganj.Photo: Tanjil Hasan

Initially, the EC was scheduled to hold elections in 112 upazilas in the third phase. But it suspended elections in 22 upazilas due to Cyclone Remal.

It also withheld elections in two upazilas due to High Court orders and deaths of candidates.

Furthermore, there will be no elections in Pirojpur's Bhandaria upazila since all chairman and vice chairman candidates were elected unopposed.

A total of 1,152 candidates -- 397 for chairman, 456 for vice chairman, and 299 for vice chairman reserved for women posts -- are contesting in the polls, during which some 2.08 crore voters are expected to vote at 7,450 polling centres.