Dhaka, Jan 7: Bangladeshis on Sunday turned up in low numbers to cast their votes for the general elections likely to be won by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for a fourth straight term, amid sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies.
According to the initial estimates, the voter turnout was around 40 per cent but the figure could change after the final count, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said.
An hour before the voting ended, the election commission had said that the voter turnout was 27.15% at 3 p.m. The 2018 general election recorded an overall turnout of more than 80 per cent.
“The voting ended at 4 pm and the counting has started,” an election commission spokesman said, adding that the results were expected by early Monday.
He said that other than some sporadic incidents of violence, the voting was largely peaceful in 299 of the 300 constituencies. The Commission suspended polling in one seat because of the death of a candidate.
The Commission cancelled the candidature of a ruling Awami League candidate in northeastern Chattogram at the fag-end of the voting hours as he “scolded and threatened” a police officer. The development left the polls in the constituency to be contested by two rebel candidates who belong to the ruling party as well.
The voter turnout was low as the ailing jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) stayed away from the polls asking people to boycott it. The party alleged that no election under the current government would be fair and credible.
The usual election-day fervour was nowhere to be seen. Even in front of the election campaign booths, there was no presence of voters except the ruling party-backed supporters and election agents.
Voters cast their votes without any disruption in the absence of long queues, leaving presiding officers with idle time.
Voting was cancelled at three centres – one in Narsingdi and two in Narayanganj. The Election Commission ordered the arrest of Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun’s son on charges of electoral fraud in Narsingdi, according to reports.
Shots were fired during a clash between supporters of two candidates running for the Chattogram-10 seat. Two people – Shanto Barua, 24, and Jamal, 35 – were shot and taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
Two people were injured after a clash between supporters of the Awami League candidate and an independent candidate at a polling centre in Jamalpur’s Sharishabari.
Four persons, including a child, were injured after two crude bombs exploded near a voting centre in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh.
A total of 119.6 million registered voters were eligible to vote at Sunday’s polls in more than 42,000 polling stations, according to the country’s Election Commission.
More than 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties were contesting in the election, besides 436 independent candidates.
Over 100 foreign observers, including three from India, monitored the 12th general election, which is being held under tight security.
More than 7.5 lakh members of law enforcement agencies and security forces have been deployed to ensure law and order during the polls.
Prime Minister Hasina cast her vote at Dhaka City College polling centre soon after the voting started. Her daughter Saima Wazed accompanied her.
Hasina, 76, has been in power since 2009 and her Awami League won the last election in December 2018.
She alleged that the opposition BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance does not believe in democracy.
“People will vote as they wish. And we were able to create that voting environment. Although the BNP-Jamaat alliance has caused many incidents, including arson attacks,” she told reporters after casting her vote.
In response to a question on how acceptable the election will be while the BNP is boycotting it, Hasina said that her responsibility is towards the people.
“Whether people accept this election or not it is important to me. So, I don’t care about their (foreign media) acceptance. No matter what did the terrorist party say or not?” she said.
The BNP is observing a 48-hour nationwide general strike which began at 6 am on Saturday and will end at 6 am on Monday. It had called upon voters to shun the election to mark the beginning of an end of what it calls a “fascist government.”
Ahead of the elections, Hasina’s government arrested tens of thousands of rival politicians and supporters, a move which rights groups have condemned as an attempt to paralyse the Opposition.
Fifteen other political parties also boycotted the election. (PTI)
