The turnout rate of voters in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections this year has come down compared to the last election held in 2013. 

The voters' turnout in the Gazipur city polls this year is 55 to 60 per cent, Returning Officer Raquib Uddin Mondal told reporters at a post-polls briefing at his office in Gazipur this afternoon.

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This means some 55 to 60 per cent out of 11.37 lakh votes were cast this year while 63.69 per cent of a total 10,26,939 votes turned out in the local body election held in 2013.

Voting at nine polling centres out of 425 were suspended as miscreants allegedly snatched ballot papers and law and order situation went out of control during the voting, Raquib Uddin added.

The polling stations are: Vogra Govt Primary School, Madinatul Ulum Senior Madrasa, Kunia Hazi Abdul Latif Govt Primary School, Bindan Govt Primary School, Jahan Public Duttapara, Khorotoil Monsur Ali Adarsha School-1, Khorotoil Monsur Ali Adarsha School-2 and Hazi Piar Ali Govt Primary School.

Earlier, voting in the GCC elections ended this afternoon with allegations of irregularities at some of the polling centres.

Starting at 8:00am, the voting continued till 4:00pm without any break at 425 polling stations in 57 wards across the city corporation area.

According to Returning Officer’s office, a total of 345 candidates, including seven for mayoral post, 254 for councilor posts, 83 for reserved posts for women, are vying in the polls.

The mayor candidates are: ruling Awami League nominated Md Jahangir Alam, BNP nominated Hasan Uddin Sarker, Islami Oikkya Jote nominated Fazlur Rahman (Minar), Islami Andolan Bangladesh nominated Md Nasir Uddin, Bangladesh Islami Front nominated Md Jalal Uddin, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) nominated Md Ruhul Amin and independent candidate Farid Ahmed.