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Voters in Dhaka city exercised their franchise in a free, fair and transparent election process, supporting the ruling Awami League into achieving a historic fourth consecutive term amid an opposition boycott.
Due to the chilly winter weather, the turnout was relatively low in the morning. But as the day progressed, the number of voters increased gradually.
Though the city was under a festive mood, the Dhaka-5 constituency witnessed sporadic clashes – centered on allegations of rigging – between the supporters of “Boat” and “Truck” symbols towards the end of the polls.
The balloting started at 8am and continued till 4pm without any break. Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina cast her vote at the Dhaka City College centre on Sunday morning.
Visiting different polling centres during voting hours, The Business Post reporters collected photo, information and spoke to presiding officers and law enforcers.
Elite centres turnout nominal
At 10am, one of the biggest polling stations at Manarat Dhaka International School & College –polling center number 59 under the Dhaka 17 constituency – witnessed only two votes cast since the polling began at 8am.
Meanwhile, at the second booth (women) of polling center number 61, only one vote was cast in the first two hours of voting. Till 3.30pm, this booth witnessed only 39 votes out of 503.
Another booth in the centre witnessed only 41 votes cast out of 514 votes until 3.15pm.
Speaking to The Business Post, the centre’s presiding officer, Probir Ray said, “Voter turnout is low, which is disappointing, but the election environment is very sound."
At T and T Adarsha Girls High School in Mohakhali, polls to an end amid a comparatively low voter turnout.
In the majority of polling stations in Dhaka, nearly all polling agents featured the “Boat” symbol.
Dhaka-14 constituency
Supporters of an independent candidate in Dhaka-14 constituency have alleged that signatures of polling agents were obtained on the result sheet before the completion of voting at a polling center in Kalyanpur Girls School.
Supporters of Sabina Akhter Tuhin, the independent candidate, claimed that they discovered the result sheet already signed by polling agents and the presiding officer around 2:30 pm.
At Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation College, there was around 25 per cent voting cast at 3pm.
Besides, the Commerce College polling centre 1, which falls under the Dhaka-14 constituency, witnessed 94 votes until 10am. The number of voters for the centre is 2,903, so the turnout was 3.23 per cent during that period, said the centre’s presiding officer AFM Ashique Rahman.
Meanwhile, the polling centre 2 witnessed 39 votes until 10am. The total number of voters for the centre is 2,712, and the turnout was only 1.43 per cent for that period, said Presiding Officer Ziauddin Tanvir.
Polling centre 3 saw 42 votes until 10am, and the number of voters for this centre is 1,716. The turnout was 2.44 per cent, said Presiding Officer Bidyut Kumar Ghosh. The overall presence of voters in the constituency was low during the morning.
At the Islami Adarsha Uchcha Bidyalay centre, polling centre 4 witnessed 89 votes until 11am. The centre has a total voter count of 1,836, said Presiding Officer Kazi Sultan Mohammad Abu Noman.
Polling centre 5 has 1,811 total voters, but only 36 votes were cast until 10:30am, according to Presiding Officer Yusuf Jamil. Polling centre 6 has 2,205 voters, but 46 votes were cast until 11:30am, says Presiding Officer Md Ashukul Islam.
Polling centre 7 has 2,327 voters, but only 55 votes were cast until 10am.
Dhaka-4, 5 & 6 constituencies
There has been a clash between supporters of “Boat” and “Truck” symbols in the capital's waterway area. This conflict is centered on allegations of rigging towards the end of the election.
Some voters alleged that they were hampered in various ways by boat supporters in Shaheed Zia Girls' School and College.
Five per cent votes were cast in Dhaka-5 constituency until 10am. According to the Election Commission, there are 185 polling centres in this constituency. The data was collected from 37 centres.
Spot visits to a number of polling centres show that in the Dhalpur Community Centre, 141 out of 2,563 (5.5 per cent) votes were cast in one centre. In another centre, 190 votes were cast out of 3,400 (5.58 per cent).
The centre’s Presiding Officer Shah Newaz said, “Voting is going on peacefully, and we have not seen any irregularities as yet.”
The Awami League’s candidate for Dhaka-5 is Harunur Rashid (Munna), who serves as the party's Jatrabari Thana unit general secretary.
Additionally, the Awami League has put forth two independent candidates, Kamrul Hasan (Eagle), the president of Dhaka South Swechchhasebak League, and Mashiur Rahman Molla (Truck), the former general secretary of Demra thana Awami League.
Mashiur's father Habibur Rahman Molla was previously a lawmaker in this constituency for four terms.
Dhaka 4 constituency witnessed around 18 per cent turnout till 12.30pm.
There were nine candidates, but the main contest was between the Awami League candidate former lawmaker Sanjida Khanam and the “Plough” candidate Jatiya Party’s Syed Abu Hossain Babla who was the MP for the last two times.
In Dhaka 6, out of 4,658, about 20 per cent or 966 votes were cast at the Narinda Girls High School till 2pm. Former Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Sayeed Khokon is the boat candidate and the oppositions were not strong enough.
Dhaka-9 constituency
In Dhaka 9, Dipshikha Pre-Cadet & High School center experienced a voter turnout of around 5 per cent until 10:40 in the morning. The total number of voters at this center is 3,439, with 170 votes cast so far.
However, on-duty police officer Saiful Islam mentioned that there is a possibility of multiple visits by some female voters to the center, making it challenging to ascertain due to their veiled appearances.
The presiding officer of the center, Al-Amin, stated that the voting process is running smoothly on a self-motivated basis.
However, he acknowledged receiving complaints of repeated visits by the same voters and given instruction to close monitoring of the voting process with photographic evidence.
Dhaka-18 constituency
Although there was a huge gathering outside the polling centres during voting hours, a small number of voters exercised their right to vote in polling centres under the Dhaka-18 constituency.
Presiding Officer Sirazul Islam of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Govt Secondary School told The Business Post, "Till 11am, only 4.11 per cent voters cast their votes. Almost all polling agents were present at the centres and no untoward incidents took place so far.”
Almost the same per cent of votes was also cast at Anwara Model College, Emarat Hossain High School, Dakkhin Khan Govt Primary School, Dakkhin Khan Girls School polling centres.
Seeking anonymity, another presiding officer of a polling centre of the constituency said, “Most of the people here are supporters of the candidates.”
Masud Ahmed, a campaigner of SM Mofazzal Hossain, an independent candidate, said, “We are trying to convince voters to cast their votes. We are providing transport facilities for voters.”
