Around 38% of the voters cast their ballots in the third phase of upazila parishad elections, Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam has said.
“The turnout rate may increase further,” said the outgoing EC secretary during a joint press briefing with the new Secretary, Shafiul Azim, at Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Thursday.
Addressing reporters, Jahangir Alam said, “Maybe sometimes I couldn’t serve you with information due to unavailability, and you would criticize me. Even sometimes I might have behaved with you in a way that wasn’t appropriate. But we didn’t lack transparency.”
He added, "I did not intend to cause you any distress with my behavior. Nevertheless, as I take my leave, I hope you will look upon me with forgiveness."
Speaking at the briefing, the new secretary said, “We live within a political system. Democracy comprises government, political parties, and the people. There is no room for serving someone by overtaking the laws. The services you are entitled to receive can be served to the fullest extent.”
On May 21, Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ Managing Director Shafiul Azim was promoted to the post of Election Commission Secretary, and Jahangir Alam was transferred to the Public Security Division.
A total of 1,152 candidates contested in the third phase elections. Among them, 397 vied for the post of chairman, 456 for vice chairman and 229 for the post of female vice chairman.
According to the EC, polling was scheduled in 109 upazilas in this phase, but due to Cyclone Remal, the commission postponed the polling in 22 upazilas.
