DHAKA: The voting to 73 upazilas in 35 districts in the fifth phase elections is progressing on Monday of the fourth polls to this local government body amid tight security.
Voters started casting their votes at 8:00am and continue till 4:00pm without any break.
The upazilas are Birol, Parbatipur and Hakimpur upazillas in Dinajpur, Domar in Nilphamari, Kaliganj in Lamonirhat, Fulchhari and Sundarganj in Gaibandha, Sadar upazilla in Bogra, Poba in rajshahi, Belkuchi and Shahjadpur in Sirajganj, Bera and Pabna Sadar upzillas, Alamdanga and Chuadanga sadar upazillas, Debhata, Tala, and Sathkhira sadar upazillas, Amtoli, Bamna, Patharghata and Borguna Sadar upazillas, Doshmina and Kalapara upazillas in Patuakhali, Ghatail, Mirzapur, Gopalpur, Tangail sadar upazilla, Madarganj in Jamalpur, Gafargaon, trishal and Nandail in Mymensingh, Ashtagram and Pakundia in Kishorganj, Tongibari, lohajong and Shirajdikhan in Munshiganj, Kaliganj in Gazipur, Monohardi, Raypur and Norshingdi sadar, Sonargaon, Rupganj and Araihazar in Narayanganj, Goalanda in rajbari, Bishwambapur and Tahirpur in Sunamganj, Bianibazar in Sylhet, Judi and rajnaga4r in Moulavibazar, Banichang in Hobiganj, Kashba, Ashuganj and Brammanbaria sadar, Muradnagar and Chandina in Comilla, Chagalnaya in Feni, Subarnachhar and Hatia in Noakhali, Ramgoti sadar, Ramganj and Roypur, Swandip in Chittagong, Cox`s Bazar sadar, Teknaf and Ukhiya, Diginala in Khagrachhari, Rangamati sadar, Longdu, Rajstholi and Bilaichhari and Sripur in Gazipur.
A total of 1,057 candidates, including 362 chairmen, 418 vice chairmen and 277 women vice chairmen will contest in the 74 upazilas.
He said more than 1.1 crore voters are exercising their franchise at last phase in 5,666 polling centres and 37,974 booths in the 73 upazilas..
Just like the previous phases, army personnel remain on duty from Friday as striking force alongside other agencies including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Police and Ansar members.
Local administrations suspended the movement of all kinds of vehicles in and around the polling areas from early Monday as a preemptive measure to avoid violence.
Election Commissioner Abdul Mobarak on Sunday told banglanews that the EC has already taken all-out preparations for holding the polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
The EC also asked the authorities concerned to deploy additional law enforcers, especially in the polling centres marked as vulnerable, in the wake of escalating violence, he added.
Prior to this, Election Commission (EC) completed a total of 426 upazila’s polls across the country in four phases.
BDST: 0838 HRS, MAR 30, 2014
