Dhaka-17 By-Polls Today: Voters show little interest

Dhaka-17 goes to polls today, with little enthusiasm among voters.

On the eve of the by-polls, two candidates alleged that supporters of an aspirant were distributing money among slum dwellers to buy votes, and one of the two was doubtful about free and fair polls.

Jatiya Party candidate Shikder Anisur Rahman and independent candidate Ashraful Alam alias Hero Alam made the allegations.

Anisur did not mention the candidate's name who was trying to buy votes. Hero Alam alleged that supporters of ruling Awami League candidate were distributing money.

AL candidate Prof Mohammad A Arafat did not pick up his phone.

William Pralay Samaddar, chief coordinator of Arafat's media cell, said, "These allegations are just part of a political strategy. We have received complaints from our agents that BNP activists are distributing money among voters to buy votes for Hero Alam."

Hero Alam said he was doubtful whether the polls would be fair.

"Even if the election is held in a free and fair manner, I'm worried whether the Election Commission would announce the actual result. I won the by-polls to Bogura-6, but the commission did not announce the actual result ... rather it manipulated it. Since I have such an experience, I'm concerned over both fair polls and result."

JP candidate Anisur said the atmosphere so far was satisfactory.

Many voters said they were yet to know their voter numbers and the names of polling centres where they would cast votes.

Monowarul Islam, of Gulshan area, is a voter of Dhaka-17 constituency (Gulshan, Banani and cantonment), said he does not know his voter number. "I want to know my voter number and the polling centre's name."

Contacted, Returning Officer Munir Hussain Khan said voters should go to their nearest polling centres. "Without this, there is no other way to know the voter number and the name of polling centre."

Ahead of Dhaka north and south city elections in 2020, voters were able to know their voter numbers and the names of their polling centres through text messages, apps and also on Election Commission website.

Many city dwellers are confused about the movement of private vehicles in Gulshan and cantonment areas in the absence of clear instructions from the returning office and the Election Commission.

In an order, the EC imposed a restriction on the movement of trucks, buses, microbuses, SUVs, cars and battery-run three-wheelers since  12:00am today to 12:00am tomorrow.

The circular, however, said the national highways will be outside the purview of the order.

Returning Officer Munir said there would be a holiday in the election area on the election day.

"No public transport will run in the area, but residents who have offices in other areas will be allowed to move with cars. If they are barred, they will have to say they are going to offices," he said.

A total of 1,71,625 males and 1,53,580 females  are expected to cast their votes at 124 polling centres. Voting will start at 8:00am and continue till 4:00pm.

Eight candidates are contesting in the Dhaka-17 by-election. The seat fell vacant following the death of AL lawmaker and actor Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque.

The by-election is taking place at a time when an EU Election Exploratory Mission is visiting the country.

The mission is assessing the scope, planning, budget, logistics, and security of a possible election observation mission in the next national polls. Based on the assessment report, to be submitted to EU High Representative Josep Borrell, the EU will decide whether it will send a fully-fledged Election Observation Mission before the next parliamentary election.