Voting starts in 3 upazilas of Gaibandha

The polling in three upazilas of the district began today as a part of the 2nd phase of 6th upazila parishad elections across the country.

The voting started at 8 am in Gaibandha Sadar, Palashbari and Gobindaganj upazilas and will continue till 4 pm without any break.

A public holiday has been announced in those areas today to enable the voters to exercise their rights to franchise, sources said.

As many as 10, 55, 613 voters including 5, 35, 875 female ones would cast their votes in 418 centres with 2883 booths in the upazilas, said District Election Officer Abdul Mottalib.

Some 15 candidates are contesting the polls for the posts of chairmen. Of them, 7 candidates are in Sadar upazila, 6 in Palashbari upazila and 2 in Gobindaganj upazila.

For the posts of vice-chairmen, 8 candidates are vying in Sadar upazila, 6 in Palashbari upazila and 5 in Gobindaganj upazila and for the posts of female vice chairmen, 6 in Sadar upazila, 4 in Palashbari and 7 in Gobindaganj upazila.

All concerned including the law enforcement agencies and other officials have been asked to discharge duties neutrally, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kazi Nahid Rasul.

RAB, BGB and police personnel have been deployed so that the voters could cast their votes without any difficulties, said Police Super Md. Kamal Hossain.

Mobile teams and striking forces are patrolling to ensure the free atmosphere of voting, he added.

Mobile and summary courts in the polling centres would instantly try the law violators during the polling as a magistrate leads each team, he also said.

Movement of vehicles like motor-cycle, baby taxi, microbus, jeep, pickup van, car, bus and trucks has been banned from today midnight to tomorrow midnight to ensure peaceful elections.