35pc vote cast in over 3hrs

 

Male voters are seen standing in queues to cast their franchise at Alamnagar Government Primary School in Rangpur city Thursday morning amid severe cold.

Around 30 to 35 percent votes were cast during the first three and a half hours of voting in the Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) mayoral elections on Thursday.
"We are very satisfied in the way people are participating in the election," Md Monirul Islam, returning officer of RCC election, told The Daily Star around 11:30am.
The voting is going on peacefully, he added.
Meanwhile, a person sustained minor injuries when unidentified miscreants swooped on voters at Mohendrafata Government Primary School centre in ward No. 33 near Mahiganj, said Md Altaf Hossain, officer-in-charge of Rangpur Kotwali Police Station.
Police arrested three people in connection with the incident, the OC added.
The RCC voters will choose a mayor and 44 councillors in the election, reports our Rangpur and Dinajpur correspondents covering the event.
Eager voters in numbers were seen queuing in front of the voting centres since morning amid low winter temperatures.
The voting that begun at 8:00am peacefully will continue till 4:00pm without any break.
Meanwhile, the three prominent mayoral candidates -- Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa, AKM Abdur Rouf Manik and Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhontu -- cast their votes around 9:00am.
Mostafa cast his vote at Alamnagar Government Primary School centre while Manik at Mariumnesa Girls' High School centre and Jhontu at Lion's School and College centre.
After counting of ballots, results will be announced from the control room set up at the Police Community Hall in the city.
As many as 12 candidates are contesting for one mayoral post in the polls, 327 candidates for 33 councillor posts while 91 candidates will contest for 11 women's reserved seats of councillors.
Polls were continuing at 1,070 booths of 178 polling centres in 33 wards under the city.
Earlier on Wednesday, Rangpur Zonal Election Officer Md Monirul Islam, also returning officer of the RCC polls told The Daily Star that they have already provided training to 178 presiding officers, 1,070 assistant presiding officers and 2,140 polling officers for the purpose.
A total of 3,57,742 voters, including 1,79,128 male and 1,78,614 female will exercise their franchise power today.
Huge contingent of law enforcers including 2,750 police personnel, 550 Ansar, 300 Rapid Action Battalion and 100 Border Guard Bangladesh members were deployed to ensure peaceful polls in the 203 square kilometre area.
Thirty-three executive magistrates, each for one ward, six judicial magistrates and fifteen mobile courts will also work to maintain peace during the RCC polls.
The government on June 28 this year upgraded Rangpur municipality, announcing it as the 10th city corporation of the country.