Sylhet votes peacefully, agents of only 3 candidates present

Sylhet votes peacefully, agents of only 3 candidates present

Voting for the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum is underway peacefully in Sylhet since morning. Spontaneous voter presence was observed across various centres in the city. While only a handful of voters were present when polling began in the morning, turnout increased as the day progressed.

This correspondent visited seven centres under Sylhet-1 constituency in the city until 10:00 am on Thursday, February 12, and observed the situation.

While agents of candidates contesting with the sheaf of paddy, scale and independent truck symbols were present at each centre, no agents of other candidates were seen. Concerned presiding officers said voting was delayed in some places as candidates' agents did not arrive on time.

A vigilant presence of law enforcement agencies, including police and Ansar, was observed at every centre. Army personnel were seen patrolling the city.

Visiting the Model High School centre in Mirabazar at 7:30 am, it was found that agents of the sheaf of paddy and scale symbol candidates had not arrived at their designated booths. Presiding Officer Jubayerul Hasan of the male centre at this educational institution said although officials responsible for vote-taking were ready in the morning, the candidates' agents did not arrive on time. As a result, voting began around 7:45 am.

Some 15-20 voters were seen waiting in line in front of this centre. Shaheen Ahmed, one of them, said, "I want to fulfil my duty by casting my vote in the morning."

At nearly the same time, Presiding Officer Mohiuddin Ahmed of the female centre at Model High School claimed that voting had begun on time. However, while voting started at six booths at this centre, several candidates' agents had not arrived at the centre's six booths.

Apart from agents of BNP, Jamaat and one independent candidate, no other candidates' agents were seen at the Model High School centre. According to Election Commission information, eight candidates are contesting in the Sylhet-1 constituency.

At the Bakhtiar Bibi Government Primary School centre in Sonarpara area of the city, although no queue was seen around 8:00 am, voters were present. Presiding Officer Fazle Elahi said this centre has a total of 2,925 voters, including both male and female. He also informed that only three candidates have agents at this centre.

At the Bakhtiar Bibi Government Primary School centre, an agent of the independent candidate contesting with the truck symbol at booth number 5 first introduced himself as an agent of the sheaf of paddy, on condition of anonymity.

Additionally, voters were seen arriving, casting their votes and leaving at Durgakumar Government Primary School in Bandarbazar and Scholarshome Shibganj campus in the city.

Around 8:15 am, queues of both male and female voters were seen at the Sharada Smriti Bhaban centre in Topkhana area. Laxman Kar from Kazirbazar, after casting his vote here, said the voting environment is good. He cast his vote without any problem, though he noted the vote-taking process was slow.

Shah Mohammad Sharif, a resident of Topkhana at the same centre, said he felt good to be able to vote in a festive environment after a long time. He came with his elderly mother to cast their votes. "I voted in the morning so that I wouldn't have to stand in line later," he said.

Tara Mia from Kazirbazar, casting his first vote in his life, said, "It was a new experience. I liked it." He also informed that he had cast his vote in the referendum.

Khondakar Abdul Muqtadir, the sheaf of paddy candidate from Sylhet-1 constituency, came to cast his vote at the Sharada Smriti Bhaban centre around 9:00 am. Responding to a question on how he views the election environment, he said, "I speak based on what I have seen so far; you all are there to see what happens next. This kind of environment is not bad, but the pace of voting for women needs to be increased."

He said, "The turnout I am seeing so far is actually satisfactory. It is a winter day, perhaps there would have been a bit more in the first hour. But I believe voters will increase as the day progresses." He added, "The right that is constitutionally recognised, which the people of this country achieved through the price of blood, which is not a product of anyone's charity, that right was on the verge of being lost. Today, I have been able to vote. Thanks to Allah, and I am seeing thousands of people casting their votes."

Maolana Habibur Rahman, the scale symbol candidate from Sylhet-1 constituency, cast his vote at Shibganj Scholarshome centre at 8:00 am. After voting, he said, "People are voting in a festive atmosphere across the country; the whole world is watching this. This time, it will be a historic vote." He pledged to build a humane Bangladesh.

On Wednesday night, locals detained three individuals who identified themselves as 'observers' at the Shahjalal Jameya Islamia centre in Jatrapur area of the city and handed them over to the police. They were also claimed to be Jamaat activists. Regarding this, Habibur Rahman said there had been some misunderstanding. He urged the administration to remain vigilantly observant so that no one is harassed.