Voting underway in 13th national election, July Charter referendum
NEWS DESK
Voting in the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter began this morning amid what election officials described as a festive and peaceful atmosphere across Bangladesh.
Polling started at 7:30am and will continue until 4:30pm without a break in 299 of the 300 constituencies, as voting in one seat has been postponed following the death of a candidate, the Election Commission said. Voters were seen queuing at polling centres to cast their ballots.
The 13th national election is being held under an interim administration formed after the 2024 mass uprising that led to the ouster of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus cast his vote at the Gulshan Model School and College polling centre in Dhaka.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said the polls were progressing in a free and fair manner so far. Speaking after casting his vote in the capital on Thursday, he said a few isolated incidents occurred outside some polling centres but were resolved immediately.
“I am very pleased to see that at one centre in Thakurgaon, leaders from both Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Nationalist Party were standing side by side, smiling and talking. This is the true beauty of democracy,” he said.
The EC said nearly 900,000 law enforcement personnel have been deployed at the field level to maintain security during the election, while more than 100,000 army personnel have been deployed so far. It added that the overall law and order situation remained normal, expressing hope that it would stay that way throughout polling day.
Voting is being held at 42,779 polling centres, with 247,482 polling rooms, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said earlier.
A total of 50 political parties are participating in the polls, while 2,028 candidates are contesting — 1,755 from political parties and 273 independents — according to EC sources. There are 83 female candidates, including 63 from parties and 20 independents. The BNP has fielded the highest number of candidates among political parties, with 291.
The EC said 12,77,11,893 voters in 299 constituencies are expected to cast their ballots in the election and referendum, including 6,48,25,36 male voters, 6,28,85,200 female voters and 1,232 third-gender voters.
About 800,000 officials are on duty to conduct the polls, including 69 returning officers, 598 assistant returning officers, 42,779 presiding officers, 247,482 assistant presiding officers and 4,95,964 polling officers. In addition, around 15,000 officials will oversee postal voting.
A total of 55,454 observers from 81 local organisations are monitoring the polls, including 7,997 centrally and 47,457 locally in parliamentary constituencies.
Meanwhile, at least 394 international election observers and 197 foreign journalists have arrived in Bangladesh to observe the election and the referendum, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing. It said 80 of the international observers represent various international organisations, 239 are from bilateral countries — including independent European observers — and 51 are individuals affiliated with different global institutions.
