At 76, Mostakim casts his first vote
He says the festive mood drew him to the polling booth
Even at 12pm, long lines stretched across the field of Wireless Pahartali University College in Chattogram-10 (Khulshi-Pahartali-Halishahar).
Standing in one of the queues was 76-year-old Mohammad Mostakim. He said he was voting for the first time in his life.
"I became a voter long ago but never cast a ballot," he told The Business Standard.
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"I came to Chattogram from Uttar Pradesh in 1948. I have lived here ever since. This time it feels like a festival, so I came to vote. I have been standing for more than 40 minutes," he added.
The Wireless area under the Khulshi police station has been home for more than seven decades to members of the Bihari community who migrated from India.
Pahartali College has four polling centres – two for men and two for women – with around 11,908 registered voters. From early morning, voters formed long queues.
According to presiding officers, turnout in the first four hours – from 7:30am to 11:30am – ranged between 25% and 30%. Turnout reached 31% at men's centre No 61 and 25% at centre No 63. At the women's centres, it stood at 31% at centre No 62 and 26% at centre No 64.
Presiding Officer Rifat Ur Rahman said many women voters were turning up, though some were unfamiliar with the voting rules, which caused slight delays.
Another presiding officer, Titu Sutra Dhar, said voters had been lining up since morning and described the atmosphere as festive.
Seventy-four-year-old Abdul Kader, a resident of Wireless, arrived in a wheelchair to vote. "I could not vote for Awami League in 2008 and 2014. I voted in 2024," he said.
Eighty-year-old Zainal Abedin, from West Khulshi's Jalalabad area, came to the centre leaning on his son's shoulder.
"Everyone is voting. The environment is good, so I came," he said.
According to the returning officers' office, 115 candidates are contesting in 16 constituencies in Chattogram.
The city has 6,682,517 registered voters – 3,483,887 men, 3,198,560 women and 70 hijra voters. In the 12th parliamentary election held on 7 January 2024, there were 6,314,317 voters.
This election in Chattogram is being held at 1,965 polling centres with 12,601 booths. Each centre has one presiding officer. Of the total, 653 centres have been identified as risky. In the 2024 election, there were 2,023 centres – 58 more than this time.
