DHAKA: Voting in 717 union parishads (UP) in 93 upazilas of 45 districts in the fifth phase has ended and the counting is underway.

The voting started at 8:00am and continued uninterruptedly till 4:00pm on Saturday (May 28).

Around 1.10-crore voters exercised their franchise rights in 6,484 polling centers on the day.

This is the fifth phase voting of first ever partisan UP polls in the country.

As many as 3,256 candidates, including 1,527 independent candidates, are vying for chairman posts in the fifth phase polls.

Meanwhile, 41 chairman candidates from Awami League (AL) have already been elected uncontested.

The election commission (EC) has deployed around 200,000 law enforcers, including RAB, BGB, police and ansar members, to ensure free and fair polls.

Meanwhile, chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed announced that officers-in-charge (OCs) of respective thanas, returning officers and others polls officials will be held accountable for any irregularities during polls.

The EC, however, decided to arrange polls in around 4,500 union parishads of the country in six phases. This is the fifth phase.

The sixth and final phase of UP polls will be held on June 4.

BDST: 1637 HRS, MAY 28, 2016
SR/RR/SMS

** 717 unions go to vote in 5th phase