4th phase upazila polls begin
Voting in fourth phase of the 5th upazila parishad elections has begun in 107 upazilas amid tight security measures Sunday (March 31).
The balloting will continue from 8am to 4pm, without any break.
Sunday has been declared a holiday in the polling areas.
As many as 2,55,40,704 people are supposed to cast their ballots, in 9,740 polling centers set up in the 107 upazilas under 22 districts.
351 candidates are vying for chairmen posts while 533 and 406 candidates are vying for vice chairmen and women vice chairmen posts respectively.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC) earlier, polls were supposed to open in 122 upazilas in fourth phase.
Later, polls in four upazilas have been stayed by the court and several upazilas where polls were suspended in third phase have been added to this phase.
In this phase, candidates in 15 upazilas were elected uncontested, said EC Public Relations Officer SM Asaduzzaman.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used in six upazilas and additional forces of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in 48 upazilas for enhanced security.
However, the first phase polls held on March 10, the second phase on March 18 and the third phase on March 24. Voting will be held in fifth phase on June 18.
