Reporter's account: Peaceful voting in Keraniganj, Savar see higher women turnout
The atmosphere remained calm throughout the early hours as Army and BGB teams maintained a visible presence to ensure security
Voting in the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the concurrent referendum is proceeding peacefully across the Dhaka-2 and Dhaka-3 constituencies, with a significant turnout of elderly, female, and first-time voters reported since the morning.
The atmosphere remained calm throughout the early hours, with no major untoward incidents reported as Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) teams maintained a visible presence to ensure security. At the Hasnabad Kamuchan Shah High School centre in Dhaka-3, The Business Standard observed a high turnout by 8:45am, with women notably outnumbering men in the queues.
A similar scenario of high turnout and a calm atmosphere was observed at various centres in Savar under the Dhaka-2 constituency.
The day's proceedings saw active engagement from various political camps. Supporters of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were seen assisting voters outside centres, with Jamaat's female activists providing information to women arriving to cast their ballots.
Ruhul Amin, a 60-year-old voter, expressed his satisfaction with the environment but noted that the process was slower than in previous years. "The environment is good this time, though it is taking longer due to the higher number of people," he said.
Meanwhile, in Savar, no reports of any untoward incidents have been received. Voters are casting their ballots at their respective polling centers in a spontaneous manner.
Although a huge gathering was observed at polling centers during the early hours of the morning, turnout significantly declined as the day progressed, with the exception of one or two centers.
