Voter turnout over 60% in 21 constituencies, below 30% in 52: EC stats

Though the overall voter turnout was 41.99 percent in the 12th parliamentary election held on Sunday, more than 60 percent of registered voters cast their ballots in 21 constituencies and less than 30 percent voted in at least 52 constituencies, according to Election Commission data.

The highest 87.24 percent votes were cast in Gopalganj-3 and Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was elected from the constituency, according to the data.

The lowest turnout was 13.04 percent in Dhaka-15. State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumdar won the election from the constituency as an AL contender.

In the national election held amid boycott of a major political party BNP, ruling Awami League secured 222 seats, while Jatiya Party obtained only 11 seats. Independent candidates clinched victory in 62 seats.

Besides, Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasod) and Bangladesh Kalyan Party each won a seat. The election result of Mymensingh-3 was postponed.

Out of the country's 300 seats, Sunday's balloting was held in 299 seats as the election to Naogaon-2 was earlier postponed by the commission following the death of a valid candidate there.

The five constituencies with more than 70 percent voter turnout are: Gopalganj-3 (87.24% turnout; AL candidate Sheikh Hasina won), Gopalganj-2 (83.20%; AL candidate Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim won), Brahmanbaria-6 (76%, AL's AB Tajul Islam won), Chattogram-6 (73.24%; AL's ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury won) and Sirajganj-1 (72.32%; AL candidate Tanvir Shakil Joy won).

The constituencies having over 60 percent voter turnout include Naogaon-1, Bagerhat-1, Bagerhat-2, Bagerhat-4, Barishal-1, Jamalpur-1, Mymensingh-10, Faridpur-4, Gopalganj-1, Madaripur-1, Cumilla-7, Cumilla-8, Feni-2, Noakhali-6, Chattogram-7 and Bandarban.

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim secured the highest 295,291 votes for the 'boat' symbol in Gopalganj-2.

Tanvir Shakil Joy got the second highest, 278,971 votes, in Sirajganj-1.

Mirza Azam received 276,453 votes in Jamalpur-3 and Dipankar Talukdar got 271,373 votes in Rangamati.

Among the elected candidates, independent candidate Awlad Hossain secured victory obtaining the lowest number of 24,775 votes in Dhaka-4.

Candidates who won even after getting less than 40,000 votes are: AL nominated Muhammad Shafikur Rahman (36,458 votes) in Chandpur-4, independent contestant Saddam Hossain Pavel (39,321 votes) in Nilphamari-3 and AL's Kamal Ahmed Majumdar (39,632 votes) in Dhaka-15.

Less than 20 percent votes were cast in five constituencies, which are Dhaka-15 (13.04%), Dhaka-17 (16.66%), Dhaka-8 (18.70%), Sylhet-1 (19.30%) and Dhaka-16 (19.88%). In Sylhet-1, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen was elected.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader and Secretary General Mujibul Haque won amid low turnout of voters in their constituencies.

GM Quader ran the election from Rangpur-3 where the voter turnout was only 22.36%. Mujibul Haque who contested the polls from Kishoreganj-3 witnessed voter turnout of 29.33%.

The constituencies that witnessed voter turnout of 20-29 percent also include Rangpur-3, Kurigram-1, Kurigram-2, Kurigram-3, Gaibandha-1, Gaibandha-3, Bogura-2, Bogura-4, Bogura-6, Bogura-7, Chapainawabganj-3, Rajshahi-2, Patuakhali-1, Barishal-5, Mymensingh-5, Mymensingh-6, Mymensingh-8, Kishoreganj-3, Manikganj-1, Dhaka-4, Dhaka-5, Dhaka-6, Dhaka-7, Dhaka-9, Dhaka-10, Dhaka-11, Dhaka-13, Dhaka-14, Dhaka-18, Dhaka-19, Gazipur-2, Sylhet-5, Sylhet-6, Habiganj-1, Chandpur-3, Chandpur-4, Noakhali-3, Noakhali-4, Lakshmipur-1, Lakshmipur-3, Lakshmipur-4, Chattogram-5, Chattogram-8, Chattogram-10, Chattogram-11, Chattogram-15 and Cox's Bazar-1.

A total of 4,99,65,467 votes out of 11,89,89,241 were cast in 298 constituencies in the January-7 general election.