More than 30% of the voters have cast their votes in the second-phase upazila parishad election, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said on Tuesday (May 21).
"The voter turnout was not satisfactory," said the CEC while talking to reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Tuesday.
Polling began at 8am across 13,155 voting centres in 156 upazilas, and by 12pm, data from 10,000 centres showed that about 16.94% of eligible voters had cast their ballots, EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam.
He also said no major untoward incidents occurred except for 18 minor incidents in the first four hours.
A member of the Ansar died of cardiac arrest while on duty in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, said Additional EC Secretary Ashok Kumar.
Some 1,824 candidates, including 603 chairman contenders are in the electoral race in the 156 upazila parishads.
There are a total of 468 posts –-chairman post, vice chairman and women vice chairman posts in each upazila.
According to the factsheet provided by the Election Commission on Sunday, more than 3.52 crore voters – 1,79,05,464 males, 1,72,99,047 females and 237 transgender persons -- are registered under 13,016 polling stations in the 156 upazilas.
Among them, the electronic voting machines will be used at 24 upazilas in nine districts. The traditional ballot papers will be used in the rest upazilas.
The first phase election was held in 139 upazila parishads of 59 districts on 8 May last.
On 29 May, the third phase election will be held in some 110 upazilas and 4th phase polls more than 50 upazilas on 5 June.
