Dhaka-17 by-election: Polls going on amid very low voter turnout

Dhaka-17 by-elections are going on amid a very low voter turnout. Voter turnout has been less than 6% in some centres as polling began using ballots at 8am today. Voting will continue till 4pm on Monday (17 July).

In the first three hours since voting began, a total of 123 votes were cast out of the 3,021 in centre no 13.; meaning a voter turnout of 4.07%. In centre no 15 the voter turnout in the first three hours has been 5.85% - 122 votes were cast while the total number of voters under the centre is 2,085.

Dhaka-17 by polls: A 'hero' for a hero, or a professor instead?

Only 105 votes were cast in the four centres under Government Homeopathic Medical College in the first hour since the polls began, said the presiding officers of respective centres.

Photo: TBS

Presiding Officer Sikandar Azam said, "This is a women's centre, they have to cook. that is why voter presence is low. We hope that voter presence will increase  as the day progresses."

Government Kalachandpur High School and College has eight centres under it.

In centre no 35, there are 2,301 voters. A total of 350 votes were cast in the first 5 fours, Presiding Officer Abdur Rahim said. The presiding officer of centre 37, Kamal Hossen said among the 2,736 voters under the centre, only 370 votes were cast in 5 hours.

Presiding Officer Pallab Hosaain of centre 38 said 383 votes were cast out of the 2,704 in 5 hours. Centre 39 PO Deloar Hossain said 372 votes were cast out of the 3,453 in the first five hours. PO Krisno Kanto Boiragi of centre 40 said 206 votes were cast out of the 3,505.

In centre 41, there are total 1,797 voters; only 200 were cast in the first 5 hours. Centre 42 PO MD Nuralam Siddiq said 170 votes were cast out of the 1,806 in the first 5 hours. In centre 43, there are 3,288 voters but only 250 were cast.

Gulshan Model School and College is AL candidate Arafat's centre. 332 out of 13,903 votes were cast till 12pm. 

Photo: TBS

While voter turnout has been very low since the morning, large gatherings of people were seen in the courtyards of the centres with Awami League cards hanging around their necks.

The presiding officer of centre no 41 in Government Kalachandpur High School and College said, "There has been a low voter turnout, everyone is having a lazy time. But the voters who are coming are able to vote without any problem. Law enforcement agencies are on alert."

According to the Election Act, people cannot stay up to 200 metres around the voting centres unnecessarily.

The presiding officer was asked why there are no voters but people around the centres. In reply, he said that people inside the centres may have come with the voters.

"Many times a voter cannot walk so someone is brought along. The women bring their babies," he added. 

When pointed out that political supporters roaming around the centres are more in number than actual voters, he said, "Actually, my responsibility is whether a voter is able to vote properly. Outside of this, the responsibility is on the enforcement agencies." 

Asked about this, SI Md Mofajjol Hossain said, "We are actually not allowing anyone in the centres who are there unnecessarily. We have kicked everyone out of here about three times since morning. But now we are getting tougher." 

The Election Commission (EC) is monitoring the by-polls through CCTV from the central control room set up in the EC building. 

EC monitoring Dhaka-17 by-polls, elections of 2 municipalities through CCTV cameras

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibur Awal, Election Commissioner Brigadier General Retired Ahsan Habib Khan, Election Commissioner Rasheda Sultana, Election Commissioner Md Anichur Rahman, Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath, NID Director General AKM Humayun Kabir and IDEA-2 Project Director. Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Md Sayem are monitoring the election from the control room.

The by-polls are being monitored through 853 cameras.

No untoward incident has been reported in the election so far.

"The atmosphere is good. There is no rush, no lines. I cast my vote in a very short time. Also, I am excited as this is my first-time voting," said a voter named Sorna Akhter.

Another voter Tasnuva Sinin, said, "The overall atmosphere is good but there are so many restrictions inside. Mobile phone is not allowed. But there was no problem in casting vote."

Photo: TBS

Awami League candidate Professor Mohammad A Arafat cast his vote at Gulshan Model High School and College centre at around 11am.

"Whether I am a candidate or not is important, but voting for the boat symbol is the most important thing for me," he said. 

"I visited several centres in the morning. It has rained a little in the morning, and voter turnout has decreased due to rain. The voters of Gulshan, Baridhara, Banani wake up a little late, but if you go to Kala Chandpur, Shahjadpur or Narda, you will see that many voters have come. If you go through BhashanTek, you will see that many voters have come. But now the voting situation is calm," he added.

'No alternative to Awami League' Arafat says, optimistic about win

Meanwhile, one of the candidates, Ashraful Hossen Alam (Hero Alam) said he is hopeful about victory if the by-election is fair.

"I will win if there is a fair vote. People want me. I want to work with people," he said visiting Banani Model School centre around 10:30am.

Alleging that his agents are being expelled from the polling stations, Hero Alam said, "I have appointed 600 agents for the election. But my agents have been forced out of 12 centres. We have been calling the Election Commission since morning. But not getting any help."

Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan, an independent candidate contesting the Dhaka-17 by-polls, boycotted the election this morning amid allegations of irregularities.

EC and Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities said that they had made all security arrangements for holding free and fair elections. 

Ministry of Public Administration has announced a general holiday along with restrictions on vehicular movement during the by-election in some parts of Gulshan, Banani,  Baridhara, and Cantonment areas under the Dhaka-17 constituency.

Photo: TBS

The movement of vehicles such as trucks, buses, minibuses, microbuses, jeeps, pickups, cars, and easy-bikes has been restricted in selective areas from 12:00am Monday (17 July) to 12:00am on Tuesday (18 July). Motorbike movement has been restricted in the areas from 12am on 16 July to 12am on 18 July.

Photo: TBS

Dhaka-17 constituency became vacant following the death of Awami League lawmaker Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque.

Photo: TBS

The contestants are Mohammad Ali Arafat of Bangladesh Awami League (boat), Sikder Anisur Rahman of Jatiya Party (plough), independent candidate Ashraful Hossen Alam (monochord), Kazi Rashidul Hasan of Zaker Party (rose), Akter Hossain of Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote (cane), independent candidate Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan (truck), Rezaul Karim Swapan of Bangladesh Congress (green coconut) and Sheikh Habibur Rahman of Trinamul BNP (golden fibre).

Photo: TBS

The number of voters is 325,205 under 125 polling stations in the Dhaka-17 constituency.