The upazila parishad polls of Bandar upazila in Narayanganj was held yesterday amid strong security measures.
Though the number of voters was less than expected, no untoward incident was reported during the polls, police said. The candidates also expressed satisfaction over the overall environment of the polls.
A total of eight chairman candidates, seven vice-chairman candidates and three women vice-chairman candidates contested in the polls held in 50 polling centres.
Strong security measures were taken as 40 of the polling centres were declared vulnerable.
During the polls, 12 executive magistrates, 550 police personnel, 550 ansar members, 90 army personnel, 60 Border Guard Bangladesh members and 72 Rapid Action Battalion members were deployed.
Bandar police station Officer-in-Charge Akter Morshed said voting took place in a peaceful manner, adding that no untoward incidents in and outside the polling centres were reported.
Bandar upazila Awami League President MA Rashid, a chairman candidate, told the Dhaka Tribune that he was satisfied with the security measures. Regarding the presence of fewer voters, he said: “Whatever the reason is, we have failed to bring the voters to polling centres.”
Another chairman candidate Ataur Rahman Mukul, president of a faction of the upazila’s BNP unit and incumbent chairman, told the Dhaka Tribune that he did not receive any information of untoward incident. He said many voters did not go to the polling centres because of excessive heat of the summer.
Other than the two, Bandar upazila Chhatra League Vice-President and Madanpur union parishad Chairman MA Salam, ousted BNP leader Hazi Nuruddin, district Jatiya Party Convener Abul Zaher, Kolagachhiya union parishad Chairman and Jatiya Party leader Delwar Hossain Delu, Islami Andolon leader Hazi Mohammad Ali and independent candidate Zahirul Islam contested for the chairman post.
