The early results of the 12th national polls show that Awami League is leading the electoral race unofficially.
Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina is well on her way to form the government for a fourth consecutive term with the ruling party and its alliance partners set to bag a landslide victory in the 12th national election held yesterday.
According to the results available until 12:15am Sunday, till the filing of this report, Awami League bagged 207 seats. Candidates from the Jatiya Party secured wins in 9 constituencies and independent candidates won the race in 53 seats.
The 12th national election, marked by a low turnout and sporadic violence in an otherwise largely peaceful atmosphere, placed the Awami League candidates and independents winning most of the seats in the absence of any major opposition in the race on Sunday.
Voter turnout was noticeably low in most polling stations in the capital while the crowd of party leaders can be seen in front of the centres almost all day long.
This correspondent reported this, visiting at least 30 centres of Dhaka-12, Dhaka-13, Dhaka-14, Dhaka-15 and Dhaka-16 constituencies from 7:15 am to 3pm on Sunday.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls were held today almost peacefully with around 40 percent turnout of voters.
"Starting at 8am the polling ended at 4pm today.... Based on the reports received here till this evening, the voter turnout is around 40 percent. However, the number may increase or decrease finally," the CEC said at a post-election briefing at the EC Secretariat here.
The parliamentary elections were held in 399 seats out of 300 electoral constituencies throughout the country.
At least four people were killed as arsonists set fire to a Benapole Express train in Gopibagh tonight.
The deaths were confirmed by Khandaker Al Moin, director of Rab legal and media wing, who was speaking to reporters on the spot.
The fire was brought under control around 10:20pm, said Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence media cell.
Unidentified persons torched the Benapole Express train at 9:05pm. Seven fire engines are trying to douse the blaze, said Farhaduzzaman, operator of fire service control room.
The fire spread to at least four compartments of the Dhaka-bound train.
Firefighters are searching areas of the train where the fire was put out.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal today said the Election Commission (EC) has assured diplomats of different foreign countries and representatives of different international organizations that the upcoming parliament election will be free, fair and credible.
"The upcoming parliamentary election will be free, fair and credible," he told journalists after briefing diplomats of different foreign countries and representatives of different international organizations on the latest and overall situation of the 12th parliamentary polls in a city hotel.
Election Commissioners (EC) Brig Gen Md Ahsan Habib Khan (Retd), Rashida Sultana, Md. Alamgir, Md. Anisur Rahman, Foreign senior secretary Masud Bin Momen, Information and Broadcasting senior secretary Md. Humayun Kabir Khandaker, Election Commission Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam, Principal Information Officer Md. Shahinoor Miah were present on the occasion.