36pc voters cast vote in 139 upazilas: EC

Election Commissioner (EC) Md Alamgir said on Thursday that 36 per cent of voters cast votes in the first phase of upazila polls in 139 upazila.

The first phase of the Upazila Parishad polls in 59 districts ended on Wednesday.
Alangir told reporters at his office that lowest  turnout of 17 per cent voters took place in  Sadar upazila, Kushtia, and Khetlal upazila in Joypurhat saw the highest turnout of 73 per cent voters.

Alamgir said that the Election Commission identified five reasons for the low voter turnout. He listed unfavorable weather condition, non-participation of BNP in the polls, lack of popular candidates, rice harvest season and declaring the polling day as holiday as the reasons for low voter turnout.

Besides, he said, migratory workers could not vote.

Replying to a question, Alamgir said that the Election Commission had made it clear that  there should be no irregularities in the election.

A Presiding officer was sued and sent to  jail for his role in irregularities, he said.

In the first phase, electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used in 22 out of 139 upazilas and   ballot papers were used in the remaining upazilas.

He said 1,635 candidates contested, 570 of them  for the post for chairman, 625 for vice chairman,  440 for the post of women vice chairman.

In the first phase, polling took place in 139 upazila parishads of Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Faridpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Cumilla and Chattogram divisions.