The first phase of upazila elections saw 36 percent voter turnout, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said this afternoon.

A total of 139 upazilas went to the polls yesterday.

Speaking to reporters at the EC office, Alamgir said that the Sadar upazila in Kushtia recorded the lowest voter turnout at 17 percent.

Meanwhile, Khetlal upazila of Joypurhat had the highest turnout at 73 percent, he added.

According to media reports and the The Daily Star correspondents, the usual election-day fervour was missing in the first phase of the upazila parishad polls, as most of the voting centres across 139 upazilas wore a deserted look, and polling officials and law enforcers were passing idle time.

The polls also saw sporadic incidents of violence and irregularities.

After voting ended, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said polling in the first phase was held in a free, fair and peaceful manner, except for a few stray incidents of violence and irregularities.

However, the CEC blamed rain in some parts of the country and the ongoing paddy harvesting season for the low turnout.