Voters of the 100 ex-Indian enclaves Monday casted their votes for the first time amid festivity.
The voting at 380 polling stations began simultaneously at 8am and continued till 4pm.
In 100 out of 111 exchanged ex-enclaves located in three northern districts – Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram – nearly 14,000 voters exercised their franchise rights, said sources at the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat.
The 111 ex-Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh, which were merged with the mainland of Bangladesh in July 31, 2015 following the ratification of land boundary agreement (LBA) by Indian Loka Sabha and Rajya Sabha unanimously, include 12 in Kurigram, 59 in Lalmonirhat, four in Nilphamari and 36 in Panchagarh.
According to EC statistics, a total of 8,935 voters from ex-enclaves exercised their franchise in the UP elections in Panchagarh, while some 1,700 voters in eight UPs in Lalmonirhat and 3,098 in six union parishads in Kurigram.
In Panchagarh, 39 chairman candidates, 98 women from reserved seats and 326 member contenders contested in the elections in eight UPs under Sadar, Boda and Debiganj upazilas of the district.
In Lalmonirhat, 37 chairman candidates, 167 women from reserved seats and 213 member contenders were in the election race in eight UPs under Sadar, Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas of the district.
Deputy Commissioner Abul Fayez Md Alauddin Khan said: “Voters have casted votes amid festivity. No untoward incident took place.”
However, two chairman candidates of Srirampur union parishad boycott elections in the afternoon. BNP-backed candidate Abdul Karim Prodhan and his brother Abdul Malek Prodhan who was an independent candidate boycott election saying that they would not take part in the election, as followers of Awami League candidate were involved in vote rigging.
In Kurigram, 32 chairman candidates, 90 women from reserved seats and 219 member contenders contested the elections in six UPs under Phulbari and Bhurungamari upazilas of the district, reports Ariful Islam, Kurigram correspondent.
Hasina Begum, 38, a resident of Dashiarchhara, said she was very excited, as she was going to cast cast vote for the first time.
Superintendent of Police Tobarak Ullah said: “We have deployed a good number of law enforcement agencies personnel, including police, BGB and RAB, so that voters can case their votes without fear.”
The SP said no untoward incident took place during election in the former enclaves.
District Election Officer Md Delwar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that about 80% voters had casted votes so far.
According to EC statistics, a total of 8,935 voters from ex-enclaves exercised their franchise in the UP elections in Panchagarh, while some 1,700 voters in eight UPs in Lalmonirhat and 3,098 in six union parishads in Kurigram.
In Panchagarh, 39 chairman candidates, 98 women from reserved seats and 326 member contenders contested in the elections in eight UPs under Sadar, Boda and Debiganj upazilas of the district.
In Lalmonirhat, 37 chairman candidates, 167 women from reserved seats and 213 member contenders were in the election race in eight UPs under Sadar, Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas of the district.
Deputy Commissioner Abul Fayez Md Alauddin Khan said: “Voters have casted votes amid festivity. No untoward incident took place.”
However, two chairman candidates of Srirampur union parishad boycott elections in the afternoon. BNP-backed candidate Abdul Karim Prodhan and his brother Abdul Malek Prodhan who was an independent candidate boycott election saying that they would not take part in the election, as followers of Awami League candidate were involved in vote rigging.
In Kurigram, 32 chairman candidates, 90 women from reserved seats and 219 member contenders contested the elections in six UPs under Phulbari and Bhurungamari upazilas of the district, reports Ariful Islam, Kurigram correspondent.
Hasina Begum, 38, a resident of Dashiarchhara, said she was very excited, as she was going to cast cast vote for the first time.
Superintendent of Police Tobarak Ullah said: “We have deployed a good number of law enforcement agencies personnel, including police, BGB and RAB, so that voters can case their votes without fear.”
The SP said no untoward incident took place during election in the former enclaves.
District Election Officer Md Delwar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that about 80% voters had casted votes so far.