From dawn to dusk: Voters cast vote freely in Dhaka

The much-hyped 13th national election and the referendum ended peacefully today (12 February), with voters across several constituencies in Dhaka casting their votes without fear.

A daylong visit to around 50 polling centres in five constituencies revealed a largely festive and peaceful atmosphere. Voters said they were able to choose their preferred candidates freely.

From early morning, polling centres in the capital saw a steady presence of voters. Women, in particular, turned out in large numbers at the start of the day. At Kallyanpur Girls' School and College under the Dhaka-14 constituency. Voters began lining up even before the scheduled time.

Photo: TBS

By 7:10am, nearly 600 voters were waiting outside the main gate of the centre. When the gates opened at 7:30am, voters entered the centre and headed to their respective booths.

One of them, Senora Begum, 56, said, "The environment is better in the morning, so I came early and cast my vote."

After voting, Nusrat Alam Ivy said, "It feels good to vote in a peaceful environment," hoping that the new government will control rising commodity prices and improve law and order.

At 8:00am, two sisters—Zinat Anifin and Jenifa Tasnim—cast their votes for the first time. Holding up their ink-marked fingers, they took selfies to commemorate the moment.

Zinat said she had previously been concerned about the voting environment but felt reassured this time.

At 8:15am, on-duty police official Zahidul Islam said that the situation was under control and everything was fine.

Until 11:30am at the Kallyanpur centre, conversations with around 40 voters indicated widespread satisfaction. Many described the atmosphere as festive, with families arriving together. Some said it had been 17 years since they experienced such an election day.

At 11:35am, the scene at Monipur High School under the Dhaka-15 was similarly calm. Voters were seen casting ballots peacefully, although a small crowd of non-voters gathered outside the gate.

Voter Md Sakil urged the incoming government to rein in commodity prices. "It's hard for low-income families to manage household expenses."

In Dhaka-13 at 11:40am, long lines of male voters were observed at the Government Music College center, where around 150 people waited to vote. After casting his ballot, Rabiul Hasan said he hoped whichever government was formed would implement the July Charter.

At 3:20pm, voter turnout appeared lower at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Government Girls' High School in Dhaka-12. Jannatul Ferdous, who became a voter in 2000, said she voted for the first time this year. "I want a safe Bangladesh from the new government."

The school houses four polling centres with a total of 8,857 registered voters. By 3:20pm, around 3,850 votes—nearly 44%—had been cast, according to presiding officers.

By 4:00pm at Tejgaon College in Dhaka-12, only a handful of voters were arriving, though around 200 supporters were gathered outside.

At 4:28pm, just two minutes before the close of voting, Sudha Grace arrived to cast her ballot. She was the last voter before the 4:30pm deadline.

"I watched the situation on television throughout the day and came after ensuring it was peaceful," she said, hoping that the new government will ensure safety and equal rights for women.

At 4:40pm, a voter was seen arguing with law enforcement officers after the gates had closed. Police said instructions required closing the main gate at 4:30pm. Since the individual had not entered before the deadline, he was unable to vote.

After visiting several polling centres, a consistent picture emerged: most were satisfied with the peaceful environment. Young voters, in particular, expressed hopes for employment opportunities, access to higher education, a safer country, and control of rising prices.