Low turnout in Savar, majority of candidates lack polling agents
Voter turnout in Dhaka-19 started strong but fell across most centres, ranging from 7.25 to 17.10%
Voting for the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum is underway in Savar (Dhaka-19) today (12 February).
Visiting various polling centres across the constituency, including the municipal areas, it was observed that the voting process, which began at 7:30am, continued peacefully until around 12:30pm as this report was filed.
No untoward incidents were reported during this period, and voters were seen arriving at their respective centres and casting their ballots in an orderly and spontaneous manner.
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While polling centres were crowded in the early hours, voter turnout declined noticeably in most centres as the morning progressed, with a few exceptions. At several centres, the highest turnout recorded was 17.10%, while the lowest was 7.25%.
Despite the smooth voting process, agents representing most candidates were largely absent at the polling centres, except for those representing BNP and the NCP under the 11-party alliance.
At Majnu Academy, which has separate centres for men and women, agents of only BNP and NCP candidates were found in all 11 booths, with a single agent from Islami Andolan Bangladesh seen at one booth.
No agents from other parties were present. Similar observations were made at Radio Colony Government Primary School and Radio Colony School & College polling centres, where only agents from BNP, NCP, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh were visible.
At Savar Laboratory College and Madhya Genda Ideal School, the same pattern persisted, with the exception of a single agent from the Ganadhikar Parishad at one booth.
According to Nazrul Islam, presiding officer at Shahid Majnu Academy's men's centre, 477 voters cast their ballots in the first two hours, out of a total 2,789 registered voters.
At the women's centre of the same institution, 335 voters had voted by the same time, from a total of 2,982 voters.
At Radio Colony Government Primary School's men's centre, 245 votes were cast in the first hour, out of 3,376 voters, according to presiding officer Nazrul Islam Selim.
At Radio Colony School & College, presiding officer Mozaffar Hossain reported 266 voters in the first two hours, out of 3,553 registered voters.
Savar Laboratory College recorded 364 voters casting ballots in the first two hours, out of 2,888 registered voters, according to presiding officer Md. Saifullah. At Madhya Genda Ideal High School's men's centre, 444 voters had voted within the first 90 minutes out of 3,394 registered, while 347 women had voted by 10:00 am at the school's women's centre, out of 3,343 voters, presiding officer Harun al Rashid reported.
A total of eight candidates from eight political parties—including BNP, NCP under the 11-party alliance, and Jatiya Party are contesting the Dhaka-19 constituency.
