After casting his vote with his family at Uttara High School and College, Masud Ahsan Sajib was caught taking group photos outside the polling centre, smiles on every faces.
Sajib said there had been public anxiety surrounding the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the accompanying referendum. "But when we came to vote on Thursday, the presence of the army and other law enforcement agencies was clearly visible," he said.
Nearly 900,000 personnel have been mobilized, including 187,603 police, 100,000 army, 37,453 BGB, 8,000 RAB, 5,000 navy, 3,500 coast guard, 13,000 fire service and 600,000 Ansar members.
Sajib said he came to vote with his entire family and for the first time, was able to cast his ballot without feeling pressured. "In previous elections, I felt a certain pressure. This time, that was not The presence of law enforcement personnel was very noticeable," he said.
Voting began simultaneously at 7:30am on Thursday in 299 parliamentary constituencies across the country and continued uninterrupted until 4:30pm.
Members of law enforcement agencies remained on high alert to prevent any disorder. Since early morning, armed personnel were seen patrolling several polling centres in the capital, conducting regular showdowns in surrounding areas every few minutes.
They were also seen monitoring the overall situation inside the polling stations. Senior officials were seen briefing their officers. Law enforcement personnel were also seen questioning suspicious individuals a t many points.
An army officer on duty at Siddheswari Girls' College said, "Besides voters, many people gather near polling centres unnecessarily. We are checking and verifying their presence."
Police officer Rakibul Islam, stationed at Uttara High School and College, said, "We have been stationed here since Wednesday afternoon and will remain until voting ends. The polling is taking place peacefully."
From early morning, a festive atmosphere was noticeable at polling centres. Voters stood in line to cast their ballots, while members of Ansar battalion stationed at school gates checked voter slips before allowing entry.
Forces belonging to various agencies remained highly active, aiming to ensure a free, fair, impartial, and peaceful election in Dhaka and across the country.
Amid tightened election security, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has banned drone flights nationwide, including Dhaka, from Tuesday to Sunday, except for law enforcement and defense forces.
