32.88 per cent voter turnout until 12 pm: EC

The Election Commission has reported that 32.88 per cent of votes were cast until 12 pm across 32,000 centres in the 13th National Parliamentary Election nationwide. EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed provided this information at a briefing held at 12:45 pm on Thursday, February 12.

The EC Secretary said, "We have learned of isolated incidents in various parts of the country. However, no polling has been suspended at any centre so far. Voting is ongoing at all centres. There is no alarming situation."

He further stated that although reports of violence have been received from various places, no information on casualties has been received so far.

The national parliamentary election is being held across the country on Thursday in a new journey of democracy, one and a half years after the fall of the Awami League government in the student-public mass uprising. Voting is taking place today in 299 out of 300 seats. Polling in the Sherpur-3 constituency has been suspended following the death of a candidate. Fifty political parties, excluding the Awami League whose activities are currently banned, are participating in the election.

Participating parties include BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jatiya Party, and others. Lakhs of young, youth and elderly voters are thronging polling centres in villages and towns across the country, hoping to vote in a fear-free environment after many years.