Gazipur polls: Zaida wins
Zaida Khatun has won the race now by 16,207 votes in 450 polling centres so far, Returning officer Md Faridul Islam said during a briefing this evening.
She is leading with 2,38,934 votes with AL-backed Azmat inching closer to her with 2,22,737 votes.
The returning officer also said the results from almost all centres have been received.
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At the briefing, Azmat Ullah did not make an appearance. Although, Zahangir was seen there all along, eagerly waiting.
8:00pm
Azmat Ullah moved ahead of the race with 393 votes in six out of 480 polling centres.
He currently has 3,317 votes, while 2,924 votes have been cast for Zaida Khatun, Returning officer Md Faridul Islam said during a briefing this evening.
7:24pm
The counting of votes is underway after polling ended peacefully in Gazipur City Corporation on Thursday.
No untoward situation or clash was reported in any polling centre.
The voting started at 8am and continued till 4pm without any break.
Those who arrived at the polling stations prior to 4pm, but have not yet cast their votes, are now being facilitated to exercise their voting rights.
Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, presiding officer at Shaheed Smriti High School centre, told TBS, "Voting at our centre has concluded, and we are currently engaged in the counting process. We did not encounter any issues with the EVM machines in any of our booths."
6:45pm
According to Election Commissioner Md Alamgir, based on the information gathered from law enforcement agencies, election commission officials, the media, and election observers, it can be concluded that the Gazipur city election was conducted in a remarkably smooth and peaceful manner.
He mentioned that all the candidates who took part in the election expressed their satisfaction with the electoral process and stated their willingness to accept the results, regardless of the outcome.
6:15pm
Independent mayoral candidate Zaida Khatun leads in 70 centres, according to the returning officers of those centres.
5:30pm
Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said the voters' turnout in the Gazipur City Corporation polls might be 50%.
5:00pm
Polling is still going on in 50 centres, according to the Election Commission.
3:15pm
Jahura Begum, a resident of Ward-35, said that she was born in Netrakona and became a voter here 20 years ago as she worked in various garments in Gazipur.
She said, "There was no problem in voting, I thought there would be a crowd that was also not the case. The polling station was completely empty, I voted in just 2 minutes."
Regarding less number of women at the voting centres Jahura Begum said, "Garments gave half day holiday owing to the city polls. Many went to their hometown as they don't get many holidays.
Majeda Khatun came to vote at the same center at 2:40pm. Regarding why she came to the polling station so late, she said, "I did not want to vote because I am afraid of fights, but now that there are no fights, I came as my husband asked me to come to vote."
Habibur Rahman, 31, worker at Samad Sweaters told TBS he is not a voter of the locality as he hails from Mymensing.
"As I'm living at Board Bazar area, I have seen many of my neighbors who are voters here but did not show up today as they lost interest in voting. They took the holiday and didn't show up at the polling centers," he added.
Muktar Hossain, 30, another worker from Arabia fashion, who is a voter of ward 35 said that most of the women voters were missing at the centres from his neighbourhood.
"They are tied to household work and are not interested in voting. They consider the process a hassle and time consuming" he added.
2pm
In the Medha Bikash Ideal School and College voting centre of Ward 50, out of 2,437 total voters 449 people cast their votes.
"As it's a women center voter turnout is somewhat low. And Gazipur area is a habitant for floating voters like garments workers and some other day labourers," Presiding Officer MD Shahriar Hossain told The Business Standard.
Azizul Islam, assistant sub inspector of Tongi West police station told TBS, "Voters were rarely seen in the last few hours. Most of the voters took the holiday and went for outings."
1:30pm
Only 602 votes were cast at the Ridge International School polling station in Ward no 4. The number of voters registered under this centre was 2,187.
After 1 pm, the polling officer of booth 1 was seen taking a nap as voter turnout has slowed down considerably since morning.
12:40pm
After visiting a handful number centres, TBS Correspondents have reported that polling agents of most of the mayoral candidates were missing from many centres.
Reportedly, polling agents of mainly two candidates - the boat and hand fan symbol - were seen in most centres.
However, presiding officers denied getting any complaints about the absence of agents for the remaining six candidates.
12:30pm
Voter turnout was low at Kalomeshwar Government Primary School voting centre in Ward no 35.
Out of a total 3,179 voters 762 (24%) cast their votes in booth 9 till 12pm, said Presiding Officer Md Habibur Rahman.
"Most of the voters are floating and the voter list was made in 2008. Many of them left garments or their profession already, that is why turnout is low," he added.
Monzur Hossain, an ASI posted at the centre told TBS voter influx was better in the morning. Voters might be having lunch and taking rest for now. They will surely come after lunch break, he added.
12:15pm
There are a total of 2,622 voters under Deuliabari AKM Mojammel Haque High School voting centre in Ward 8, of whom 787 people or 30% voters cast their vote in nine booths.
Presiding Officer Md Nazrul Islam said, voter number has reduced now, it may be increased after lunch time.
1210:pm
In the Degerchala Choydana MU Aleem Madrasa voting centre in Ward 32, out of a total 2,205 female voters, 424 or 19.22% voters cast their vote till 11am.
And 493 female voters which are 21.7% of all voters cast their vote at the Degerchala Choydana MU Aleem Madrasa.
12:00pm
The election commission has ordered action against two people after they were seen entering restricted areas in the polling station allegedly to influence the voting process.
Reportedly, a man named Rahim was detained from polling centre no 101. In addition, the magistrate has ordered to detain one person in centre number 103 for three days.
The EC has been monitoring the polling situation in Gazipur live from the Agargaon office in the capital through 4435 CCTV cameras installed in the election centres.
11:30am
In the No 80 polling station setup in Dewaliabari Government Primary School of Ward No 8, out of a total of 2,655 registered voters, some 452 cast their votes first three hours of the polls, accounting for just 17% of the total votes.
The presiding officer, Ataur Rahman, confirmed the figures, expressing concern over the extremely low voter participation in this centre. Rahman reported that approximately 30-35 voters were seen waiting outside the polling booths, indicating a lack of enthusiasm among the electorate.
Despite the low turnout, Rahman reassured that the process remained smooth and unaffected by any disturbances caused by vagrants. By 10am, only 294 votes had been counted, indicating a slow pace of voting.
Meanwhile, polling agents of Zaida Khatun, an independent candidate for the mayoral post and mother of the former mayor Zahangir Alam, were found present in only two out of the nine booths at the polling station.
11:15am
Degerchala Choydana M U Aleem Madrasa voting centre in Ward 32 saw long queues of the women voters, some of them took at least 20 minutes to cast their vote.
One Jahanata Khatun, 76, told TBS that she casted her vote according to her own choice.
"I pressed the button and my vote went to my favorite person. It seemed like magic. But I had to wait for around half an hour in the queue," she added.
11am
Out of a total 2,870 voters, 437 people cast their votes till 10am, said Md Mobarak Hossain, presiding officer of Gazipur Metropolitan School voting centre of Ward no. 17.
Mobarak Hossain said, there are polling agents of Zaida Khatun in five booths out of nine. However, when asked to show where they are the presiding officer failed to do so.
He said, "We don't know why Zaida Khatun's polling agents are not here. They might be short in manpower."
10:50am
"Boat" supporters have ousted the centre convenor and a polling agent of "clock" symbol from Bhanua Government Primary School voting centre in ward no 24.
10:30am
Supporters of councillor candidate Abu Sayed Mandol and Mayoral candidate Gazi Ataur Rahman gathered in front of Chandana High School voting centre in Ward-16 near Gazipur Chowrasta and started chanting slogans.
Ansar members later chased them away.
Another clash arose in the same location between supporters of BNP ousted leader Mosleh Uddin and Abu Sayed Mondol. Law enforcement agencies dispersed the crown as well.
9am
The total number of voters at the Chandana High School center of ward-16 is 2,937 but only 70 voters casted their votes between 8am to 9am, said Presiding Officer Mohammad Mainuddin.
Md Abul Kashem Khan, polling officer of Chandana High School women booth 03, told TBS that the voter influx is slow and the elderly people are unable to cast their votes in a swift manner.
"They take time and it may be cause a low turnout," he added.
Voter turnout is low in two polling booths of City Model Public School voting centre No. 8 of Ward No. 1. As many as 70 out of 754 voters have exercised their right to vote in these two booths so far.
Presiding Officer Ahsanul Kabir told TBS that voters have not yet come to this room. Maybe they will come later.
The presiding officer also said there are 1,859 votes in this centre but only 148 votes were cast in this centre till 9am, which is only 8% of total voters.
The presiding officer said, the three ballot papers are not marked which is the mayor's or which is the councillor's. That's why voters are facing problems while voting.
About 100 votes were cast in the first one hour of voting at Panishail High School voting centre of ward number 1.
Presiding Officer Md Abdul Aziz said, voting was slow due to the EVMs being a little slow. Voting speed has now increased.
8am
Election Commissioner MD Alamgir and Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana started CCTV monitoring of the polling at the EC Building in Agargaon at 8am. Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal arrived at the Election Commission building around 10am.
Some CCTV cameras were malfunctioning in the beginning of the voting, which was due to connection problems. The EC is working to solve these problems.
Mim Akhter, who has come to cast her vote at Harvard Model Academy voting centre, said, "Our house is nearby so we came here early to cast our vote. We will vote as soon as voting starts.
"I am a new voter that is why I am very excited, but I don't have any idea about EVM."
Harvard Model Academy is the women's voting centre for ward 1 of Gazipur, where the female voter number is 1,946.
Presiding Officer of this centre Dr Md Rezwan told The Business Standard, "We have taken preparations. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been prepared before 8am and voters will be able to vote in six rooms."
Amena Begum, in her 60s and suffering from obesity couldn't even stand alone in the queue at the voting centre in Madinatul Ulum Hifzul Quran Aleem Madrasa, under Ward 26 of Gazipur.
Her granddaughter is standing in the queue at the polling centre on her behalf.
"I have cast my vote so many times in my life but it would be for the first time in EVM. I don't know whether I can conquer the long queue or the newly introduced EVM but I'm at least here for choosing my men who will run the city for next five years," she added. Amena Begum came from Munshipara area of the Gazipur city
A total of 329 contestants including eight mayoral candidates and 243 general councillor candidates are participating in the third election to Gazipur City Corporation which consists of 57 wards and 11,79,476 voters. Also, 78 women candidates are contesting for 19 reserved councillor posts.
The Election Commission has pulled out all stops to ensure that the election is free, fair, and participatory.
It has covered the entirety of Gazipur in a security blanket, as a vast security apparatus has spread its wings over the entire polling area.
