Upazila Polls saw 36% voter turnout: Commissioner Alamgir

Vote casting. Photo collected.

Dhaka, May 9 - Election Commissioner Md Alamgir on Thursday said that in the first phase of the Upazila Parishad election the voter turnout was 36.1 per cent.

He said this while talking to the reporters at Nirbhachan Bhaban in capital’s Agargaon area.

Commissioner Alamgir said 36.1 per cent vote were cast yesterday in the first phase of Upazila Parishad polls.

Sonatala, Mirsrai and Kushtia Sadar upazilas witnessed the lowest voter turnout at 17 per cent while Joypurhat’s Khetlal upazila recorded highest voter turnout at 73.1 percent, he said.

The first phase of the sixth Upazila Parishad Election was held in 139 upazilas of 59 districts in the country on Wednesday amid allegations of  irregularities and poor voter turnout.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on the day blamed rain and harvesting for low voter presence.

While talking to reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon area he said the voter turnout may be between 30 to 40 per cent. - UNB