The presence of voter or voter turnout seems to be not ppossible to increase despite various steps taken by the election commission (EC). The interest of voters to cast votes is decreasing day by day. In the third phase of upazila election, the voter turnout was lesser than that of second phase. In the first phase it was 36.10 percent and in the second phase it was 37.57 percent. However, in the third phase it was 36.24 percent. The initiative taken by EC to increase voter turnout seemed to bring no result at all.
According to analysts, voter turnout was low due to internal clashes of the parties, non-turnout of a major party, unpopularity of the candidates, absence of workers in urban areas and hostile weather, being busy with paddy harvesting in Haor areas. Because the vote in the parliamentary elections held in January, those voters are also not coming to the center in upazila elections. A total of 41.8 percent votes were cast in the 12th parliamentary elections across the country. But the voter turnout in the upazila does not rise above 36 to 37 percent.
Meanwhile, 36.24 percent votes were cast for the post of chairman in the third phase of the Upazila Parishad elections. Less than 25 percent votes were cast in 9 upazilas. The Election Commission shared this information by integrating the information sent from the field level on Thursday. The third phase of upazila elections was held on Wednesday.
Describing the polling environment as 'peaceful', CEC Qazi Habibul Awal expressed satisfaction with the turnout at the centre, saying the election was satisfactory. “
The attendance information I got may be less than 35 percent or more. It will take more time to get the correct information,” he said.
EC officials said that there were 2,11, 54,185 voters in 87 upazilas. Among them, 76, 66, 953 people voted which was 36.24 percent of votes were cast. 58.83 percent votes were cast in Pirganj Upazila of Thakurgaon. Laxmipur Sadar got the lowest voter turnout of 13.64 percent. Earlier on May 8, the elections in 139 upazila saw 36.10 percent voting. 37.57 percent voting were done in 156 upazila elections of the second phase on May 21. In the second phase, the maximum number of votes in one upazila was 74.95 percent.
In the second phase, the average vote for the post of chairman was 37.57 percent. This information was found in the analysis of the consolidated results of this phase announced by the EC. In this phase, the highest voting rate is in Panchari upazila of hilly Khagrachari district, which is 74.95 percent. Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi got the least number of votes. The voting rate in this upazila is 17.98 percent. The voter turnout in the second phase was higher than the first phase. In the second phase, single candidates were elected unopposed in 7 upazilas for the post of chairman. Among them, three posts in two upazilas were elected unopposed. In the second phase, elections were held in 156 upazilas, but as the candidates won unopposed in three of the upazilas. The results of those three were not coordinated by the EC. In the second phase, the results of 153 upazila chairman posts were collated. It showed that the average voter turnout was 38.47 percent in the 129 upazilas held in the ballots. And in the 23 upazilas held in EVM, the average vote was 32.17 percent. Public relations director of EC said 1, 25, 83, 947 out of 3, 34, 98, 620 voters exercised their right to vote in 153 upazilas.
In the last fifth upazila election of 2019, the average vote was more than 41 percent. In the fourth upazila election in 2014, 61 percent votes were cast and in the third upazila election in 2009, 67.69 percent votes were cast. Out of the total 495 upazilas of the country, 485 upazila councils eligible for election are voting in four phases this time. Polling is scheduled on June 5 in the fourth phase in 55 upazilas and on June 9 the voting will be held in upazilas where it was postponed.
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on May 30 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)
