Low Voter Turnout in the Dhaka-17 By-polls

In several polling places, the turnout was less than 6% during the first six hours of the Dhaka-17 by-elections. On Monday, July 17, voting using ballots started at 8 am and will last until 4 pm.

Out of the 3,021 votes cast in center no. 13 in the first three hours of voting, 123 were cast in total, representing a 4.07% turnout. In center number 15, 122 votes were cast within the first three hours of voting, out of a total of 2,085 voters in the center.

The presiding authorities of the four centers under the Government Homeopathic Medical College reported that only 105 votes were cast in each center during the first hour of voting.

They must cook because this is a women's center, the presiding officer Sikandar Azam stated. that explains the poor voter turnout. As the day goes on, we anticipate seeing more voters.

There are eight centers under Government Kalachandpur High School and College.

There are 2,301 voters in center no. 35. 350 votes were cast in all throughout the first five ballots, according to Presiding Officer Abdur Rahim. Only 370 ballots were cast in 5 hours, according to Kamal Hossen, the presiding officer of center 37, out of the 2,736 voters in the center.

383 votes out of the 2,704 were cast in 5 hours, according to presiding officer Pallab Hosaain of center 38. 372 votes were cast out of the 3,453 total in the first five hours, according to Centre 39 PO Deloar Hossain. 206 votes were cast out of the 3,505 total, according to PO Krisno Kanto Boiragi of center 40.

There are 1,797 voters in center 41, yet just 200 votes were cast in the first five hours. According to Centre 42 PO MD Nuralam Siddiq, 170 of the 1,806 ballots were cast in the first five hours. There are 3,288 voters in center 43, but only 250 ballots were cast.

Candidate for the AL Arafat's center is Gulshan Model School and College. Up to 12 o'clock, 332 of 13,903 votes were cast. 

Through CCTV, the Election Commission (EC) is keeping an eye on the by-elections from a central control room set up inside the EC building. 

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibur Awal, Election Commissioner Brigadier General Retired Ahsan Habib Khan, Election Commissioner Rasheda Sultana, Election Commissioner Md Anichur Rahman, Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath, NID Director General AKM Humayun Kabir and IDEA-2 Project Director. Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Md Sayem are monitoring the election from the control room.

The by-polls are being monitored through 853 cameras.

No untoward incident has been reported in the election so far.

"The atmosphere is good. There is no rush, no lines. I cast my vote in a very short time. Also, I am excited as this is my first-time voting," said a voter named Sorna Akhter.

Another voter Tasnuva Sinin, said, "The overall atmosphere is good but there are so many restrictions inside. Mobile phone is not allowed. But there was no problem in casting vote."

Awami League candidate Professor Mohammad A Arafat cast his vote at Gulshan Model High School and College centre at around 11am.

"Whether I am a candidate or not is important, but voting for the boat symbol is the most important thing for me," he said. 

"I visited several centres in the morning. It has rained a little in the morning, and voter turnout has decreased due to rain. The voters of Gulshan, Baridhara, Banani wake up a little late, but if you go to Kala Chandpur, Shahjadpur or Narda, you will see that many voters have come. If you go through BhashanTek, you will see that many voters have come. But now the voting situation is calm," he added.

Meanwhile, one of the candidates, Ashraful Hossen Alam (Hero Alam) said he is hopeful about victory if the by-election is fair.

"I will win if there is a fair vote. People want me. I want to work with people," he said visiting Banani Model School centre around 10:30am.

Alleging that his agents are being expelled from the polling stations, Hero Alam said, "I have appointed 600 agents for the election. But my agents have been forced out of 12 centres. We have been calling the Election Commission since morning. But not getting any help."

Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan, an independent candidate contesting the Dhaka-17 by-polls, boycotted the election this morning amid allegations of irregularities.

EC and Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities said that they had made all security arrangements for holding free and fair elections. 

Ministry of Public Administration has announced a general holiday along with restrictions on vehicular movement during the by-election in some parts of Gulshan, Banani,  Baridhara, and Cantonment areas under the Dhaka-17 constituency.

The movement of vehicles such as trucks, buses, minibuses, microbuses, jeeps, pickups, cars, and easy-bikes has been restricted in selective areas from 12:00am Monday (17 July) to 12:00am on Tuesday (18 July). Motorbike movement has been restricted in the areas from 12am on 16 July to 12am on 18 July.

Dhaka-17 constituency became vacant following the death of Awami League lawmaker Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque.

The contestants are Mohammad Ali Arafat of Bangladesh Awami League (boat), Sikder Anisur Rahman of Jatiya Party (plough), independent candidate Ashraful Hossen Alam (monochord), Kazi Rashidul Hasan of Zaker Party (rose), Akter Hossain of Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote (cane), independent candidate Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan (truck), Rezaul Karim Swapan of Bangladesh Congress (green coconut) and Sheikh Habibur Rahman of Trinamul BNP (golden fibre).