The balloting for the Dhaka-17 constituency in the 12th national parliamentary election is underway.
Polling centres in Banani and Gulshan have witnessed low voter turnout since 8am amidst the winter morning.
While talking to Dhaka Tribune, the first voter at Gulshan Model High School polling centre, 86-year-old Abdul Matin said: “I, my son and wife cast out votes first from this centre. I normally come early in the morning of election day and cast my vote.”
“I got ready after Fajr prayer to go to the polling station, today I was happy like that and cast my vote."
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Beauty Begum, a 50-year-old voter, said that she has been very ill for several days.
“However, I came today to give my valuable vote, because I think a vote is worth a lot.”
Another voter Dilip Chandra Mandal voted from this centre like every year. He said, this year the crowd is smaller, so he was able to cast his vote without any line.
Another 60-year old Shirin Yusuf said that she has never missed a single voting day since becoming a voter.
It was found in the centre that in about seven rooms of this centre, there were only agents of Boat.
A polling agent of Boat Faruk Hossain said that several agents of other candidates have come and left the centre after some time.
Another polling agent from Boat Mohammad Monir said that the polling agents of Ektara and Kula candidates were seen to be present in the morning.
Mohammad Masum, a polling agent from Ektara, said that their agents were supposed to be present in every room.
“But I don't know why they are less in number,” he said.
Syeda Marjan Islam, a polling officer, said two-seven voters cast their votes in each room of this centre till 9.30am. Almost all were senior citizens.
“We hope that the number of voters will increase as the day progresses,” he said.
Presiding Officer Sad Ahmed Yousud stated that all parties' polling agents were present at the polling centre, and were in the centrel room. However the number of boat agents is more here.
The number of voters is 323,935 under 124 polling stations in the Dhaka-17 constituency, which comprises wards no 15,18,19 and 20 of Dhaka North City Corporation as well as the Dhaka cantonment area.
A total of seven MP candidates are contesting in the polls.
Mohammad Arafat (Boat) is contesting as Awami League candidate, SM Abul Kalam Azad (Television) of BNF candidate and Md Ainul Haque (Kula) of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (kula), independent candidate Arafat Ashwad Islam (Baloon), Qazi Shafiul Bashar (Shonali Ash) from Trinamool BNP, Shah Alam (Ektara) from Bangladesh Supreme Party and Ghulam Farooq Majnu (Mango) from National People's Party (NPP).
The Dhaka-17 constituency consists of Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and a portion of the Dhaka Cantonment.
