As the time for the 12th National Assembly elections draws nearer, the vote count is increasing in which more than three crore young voters could play big role.
The new voters in the three terms of the current government are going to play a major role in determining the victory or defeat in the next election. The support of these 18 to 29-year-old voters will decide which party will come to power.
Therefore, political parties have started new ideas in keeping with the thoughts of young voters. That is how the manifesto of the upcoming elections is being prepared.
Apart from this, priority will be given to the youth in the nomination of candidates for the parliamentary elections.
The Election Commission (EC) published the final voter list ahead of the 12th parliamentary elections on Thursday. The next national parliament election will be held with that list. Now the number of news voters across the country is more than 11.9 million. Today the EC has officially released this information.
For this reason, new voters will play an important role in determining the outcome of the 12th National Assembly elections.
In addition, 3 crore 72 lakh 52 thousand 815 people which is 32.77 per cent have been added to the voter list in the last 14 years since the ninth parliamentary election on December 29, 2008; Their age now ranges from 18 to 33 years.
According to the information of the Election Commission, the number of draft voters in the country as of March 1 this year is 11 crore 91 lakh 95 thousand 68 people.
Among them 84,65,255 people aged 18 to 21 years. 1,12,22,548 people aged 22 to 25 years. 1,11,25,341 people aged 26 to 29 years. Apart from this, there are 1,03,24,178 voters aged between 30 and 33 years. 1,44,32,013 voters aged 34 to 37 years. 1,22,08,205 voters aged 38 to 41 years.
1,06,28,516 voters aged 42 to 45 years. 63,65,067 voters aged 46 to 49 years. 82,69,985 voters aged 50 to 53 years. 67,04,465 voters aged 54 to 57 years.
Voters aged 58 to 60 are 39,80,528 and voters above 60 are 1,77,95,278. The voter list has already been updated across the country. The EC will publish the final voter list today, adding new ones and excluding dead ones.
Analysts said we can consider those who became voters after the ninth parliamentary election as young voters..
Before the Ninth Parliament elections in 2008, since the preparation of the voter list with photos, in 14 years, the number of voters in the country has increased by 3 crore 81 lakh 8 thousand 65 people which is 31.97 per cent; On December 29, 2008, there were 8 crore 10 lakh 87 thousand 3 voters in the country during the ninth parliamentary election. At present draft voters are 11 crore 91 lakh 95 thousand 68 people.
Mohammad Shahnewaz, former Election Commissioner told Bangladesh Pratidin, “The votes of our country are basically divided into two or three parts. That consistency is coming, not much manipulation.
“However, in terms of new voters, it varies depending on which party can attract more young voters through its election manifesto. There is not much difference in the voting rate of the two main parties of the country. Therefore, young voters will become a factor in the election,” he added.
@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on March, 02 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan.