On a humid election morning in Dhaka’s Khilgaon, amid tight security and orderly queues, 68-year-old Mohammad Farid Mia arrived at the Khilgaon Model College polling centre with quiet determination. With visual disabilities for years, he had come to exercise what he described as his “most cherished right” — the right to vote.
For Farid Mia, this election was more than a political contest. It was a deeply personal moment.
“Seventeen years is a long time,” he said in an emotional voice, standing just outside the polling booth after casting his ballot. “No matter the hardship, voting is my duty. I had to come.”
Born a few years before the turbulent final phase of Pakistan’s rule, Farid Mia says he has witnessed Bangladesh’s political transformations firsthand.
Though his ancestral home is in Brahmanbaria, he was born and raised in Khilgaon and has voted in the capital for decades.
“I have been voting since the late 1970s,” he recalled. “Through different governments, different times — I have always tried to take part.”
His comments reflect the lived experience of a generation that has seen coups, transitions, caretaker administrations, and intense electoral rivalries.
For voters like him, participation is intertwined with memory.
Election officials at the centre confirmed that provisions were in place to assist voters with disabilities, in line with Bangladesh Election Commission guidelines. With the help of a companion and under supervision of polling officers, Farid Mia was able to cast his ballot independently.
Observers noted that while urban centres have improved accessibility measures, consistent nationwide implementation remains a work in progress.
Yet for Farid Mia, logistical limitations did not overshadow the day’s significance. “I may not see the ballot,” he said, “but I understand its value.”
Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election was held across 299 constituencies, after voting in one seat was postponed due to a candidate’s death. Polls opened at 7:30am and continued uninterrupted until 4:30pm.
According to the Election Commission, more than 120 million registered voters were eligible to cast ballots at over 40,000 polling centres nationwide. Security personnel from police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Ansar were deployed to maintain order.
The Commission has pledged a “free, fair, and credible” election, while both domestic and international observers are monitoring proceedings.
Reports from various districts indicated largely peaceful voting, though isolated complaints regarding agent access and procedural disputes have surfaced in some areas.
Authorities say any allegations are being reviewed.
At Khilgaon Model College, turnout appeared steady through the morning hours. Elderly voters, first-time participants, and women stood in separate lines under watchful security.
For many, the election represents not only a choice of representation but a test of democratic resilience.
Political analysts note that voter turnout, transparency in vote counting, and post-election acceptance by stakeholders will significantly influence both domestic confidence and international perception of the process.
As Farid Mia prepared to leave the centre, he paused briefly. Around him, voters continued to enter — some quietly focused, others animated in discussion.
“Whatever happens,” he saidL: “I pray the country remains peaceful. Our votes should matter.”
In a nation often defined by political contestation, his presence at the ballot box served as a reminder: democracy’s strength is measured not only in numbers and results, but in the resolve of citizens who overcome barriers — physical and otherwise — to participate.