Voting in 12th national polls underway

Voting in the 12th national parliamentary election is underway on Sunday morning using ballot papers in 299 seats. 

The voting started at 8am and will continue until 4pm without any break at 261,912 polling booths in 42,103 voting centres across the country.

A total of 1,970 candidates, including 1,534 from 28 political parties and 436 independents, are vying in the polls.

Of the candidates, 266 from the ruling Awami League (AL), 265 from Jatiya Party (JaPa), 135 from Trinomul BNP, 66 from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD), 122 from National People's Party (NPP), 13 from Jatiya Party (JP) and 10 from Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh are contesting in the polls.

A total of 90 female candidates, including from political parties and independents, and 79 from ethnic minority and other groups are vying in the polls.

A required number of members of law enforcement agencies have been deployed across the country to ensure the security of the voters so that they can go to polling centres, exercise franchise and return home safely.

Election Commission (EC) source said, 11,96,89,289 voters, including 6,76,09,741 male, 5,89,18,699 female and 849 transgender, will vote to elect 299 members of parliament out of 300 as the EC earlier postponed the elections to Naogaon-2 due to independent candidate Aminul Islam’s death.