4Th Phase UZ Polls: Trend of low voter turnout continues

The fourth and last phase of upazila parishad elections was held by and large peacefully yesterday and the turnout was low like the previous phases.

In this phase, 60 upazilas went to polls.

Talking to reporters at the Election Commission after voting ended, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the turnout in the fourth phase would be 34.33 percent.

He said the EC made the estimation based on information provided by the election officials of 5,144 polling centres.

The CEC did not respond to a query about the reason for the low turnout.

He said the polls were held peacefully and without any major violence.

He said 28 people were arrested over election-related offences, adding that voting at a polling station in Kishoreganj's Bhariab upazila was suspended as a ballot box was taken away.

The CEC said a presiding officer was arrested as he was found stamping ballot papers in Netrakona's Kendua upazila.

If the CEC's estimate is proven to be correct, this would be the lowest turnout in upazila polls since 2009, said EC sources.

The turnout was 36 percent in the first phase of upazila elections held on May 8, 38 percent in the second phase on May 21, and 36 percent in the third phase held on May 29.

The figure was 70.57 percent in the 2009 upazila polls, which dropped to 61.23 percent in 2014. On average, it stood around 40 percent in the 2019 upazila polls conducted in five phases.

In the January 7 national election, the turnout was 42 percent.

The BNP and many other political parties have stayed off the upazila polls, like they did in the January 7 national election saying that the EC is "not capable of holding the elections in a free and fair manner".

The battle of ballots took place among independents, mostly from the ruling Awami League, as other political parties did not field any candidates.

In Chattogram, a voter was injured when activists of two vice-chairman candidates clashed at East Pingala Government Primary School polling centre in Patiya upazila.

A mobile court fined four people Tk one lakh over attempting to influence voters at Baharchhara Ratnapur High School Polling Centre in Banshkhali upazila.

In Patuakhali, a mobile court sentenced a man to six months' imprisonment for trying to cast fake votes at Gangipara Government Primary School polling centre in Rangabali upazila.

A chairman candidate sought a re-election to Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila, alleging "massive irregularities" committed by supporters of his rival.

In Dinajpur's Phulbari upazila, a thin presence of voters was seen at different polling stations throughout the day.

In flood-hit Zakiganj and Kanaighat upazilas of Sylhet, many voters came to polling stations on boats.

"The road to the polling station has been submerged. So, I have come to cast my vote on a boat," said Saju Uddin, a voter of Konagram Government Primary School polling centre in Kanaighat upazila.

Elections to 22 upazilas, which were suspended due to Cyclone Remal, will be held on June 9.

[Our correspondents from respective districts contributed to this report.]