Voting in the national election and the referendum is underway largely in a peaceful manner across Bangladesh, with the first two hours passing without reports of any major untoward incidents.
The voting that began at 7:30am will continue until 4:30pm without any break at 42,659 polling stations in 299 out of 300 constituencies across the country amid the presence of nearly one million security personnel and another one million polling staff.
The election is being held around one and a half years after the fall of the Awami League government during the July-August mass uprising in 2024 as voters are seeking to establish an elected government.
Alongside the parliamentary polls, voters are also casting their ballots for a referendum to express their views, through ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ votes, on proposals for several amendments to the Constitution.
In the capital, voters started arriving at polling centres from early morning.
As the day progressed, the presence of voters steadily increased outside the centres.
An atmosphere of festivity was observed among voters who turned out to cast their ballots.
Voting in underway in the first couple of hours amid festive mood but some reported slow voting process in some centers.
Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group Nana Akufo-Addo has expressed satisfaction over the smooth beginning of vote casting at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and hoped that this trend would continue throughout the day.
"So far so good," the Chairperson and former President of Ghana told reporters after observing the opening of polls.
Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Bangladesh Ivars Ijabs on Thursday said it is really a big day for Bangladesh’s democracy as they started observing the country’s twin elections-- national election and referendum - across the country.
"I think this really a big day for Bangladesh’s democracy," he told reporters at Siddheswari Girls' College at New Bailey Road after observing the opening of the vote casting.
He said they will continue to monitor the elections across the country, including the vote counting process at the end of the day.
Meanwhile, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman cast his vote in the morning at Gulshan Model High School and College centre in the capital around 9:40pm.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman cast his vote at 8:15am on Thursday at the Monipur High School (Boys’ Branch) polling centre.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir cast his vote at Thakurgaon Government Girls’ High School centre around 7:40am.
