27pc votes cast in 7 hours

Election Commission Secretary Md Jahangir Alam has said 27% votes were cast in seven hours from 8am to 3pm on Sunday in the 12th national parliamentary election. 

The EC Secretary said this at a press briefing at the media centre of Election Commission around 3:15pm.

“During the period, 25% votes were cast in Dhaka division, 27% in Chattogram, 22% in Sylhet, 31% in Barishal, 32% in Khulna, 26% in Rajshahi, 26% in Rangpur and 29% in Mymensingh,” the EC Secretary said. 

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.