Low turnout in Faridpur-2 by-polls due to lack of tough competition: EC Alamgir

Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said that the Fridpur-2 by-polls witnessed a low turnout due to the absence of tough competition.

"Only two candidates contested the by-polls in Faridpur-2 constituency, one of which is not well known. Perhaps that's why the competition was not that strong," he said while talking to reporters at Election Commission Building at Agargaon in the capital Sunday (6 November).

Saturday's by-polls in Faridpur-2 constituency marked only 26.24% of the voters' turnout.

Awami League nominated candidate Shahdab Akbar won the Faridpur-2 by-elections with 68,812 votes for the boat symbol. His rival candidate in Bangladesh Khilafat Movement, Advocate Md Zainul Abedin got 14,878 votes for the banyan tree symbol.

Mentioning that there is no such condition that the election will be accepted based solely on the percentage of votes, EC Alamgir said, "If voting is held in a peaceful and orderly manner, with no irregularities reported; if all the rules are followed, then it must be called an acceptable election."

He said as the national elections will be held soon, voters may have assumed there will be no changes in the government through the by-polls.

"In addition, both voters and candidates showed less interest in the by-polls as they think the elected candidate will not invest much time to work for the area," he added.

Referring to Cumilla City Corporation election, Md Alamgir said voters' turnout in the election was high as there was a tough competition and the tenure of the elected candidate is five years.

"We believe the elections that offer longer terms and have tougher contests usually witness a higher voters' turnout," he remarked.