UNB, Dhaka :
The country’s voter list is going to see an ‘unusual’ voter growth as data of some 39.28 lakh people have already been collected against the Election Commission’s estimate of 24 lakh fresh voters.
The Commission in July last started its voter list updating process expecting that some 24 lakh fresh voters will be enrolled with a 2.5 percent growth of the existing 9.62 crore voters.
According to field-level data received by the EC Secretariat as of September 21, enumerators collected the statistics of 39,28, 644 people in 546 upazilas across the country, showing a 4.09 percent growth.
Of them, 30,66,882, including 15,93,002 men and 14,73,882 women, have been registered as new voters.
EC officials said the number of fresh voters might be even higher once all the people in the remaining 150 upazilas, which also cover the densely populated capital Dhaka, are enlisted.
Though 2.5 percent growth was estimated, the rate is more than 4 percent in 310 upazilas out of some 400 where all possible voters were included as of September 21, a day before the data collection process ended.
Of them, the growth rate is more than five percent in 95 upazilas, while more than six percent in 41 other upazilas.
The highest growth rate of 8.71 percent was recorded in Ramganj upazila of Laxmipur, followed by 8.48 percent in Chunarughat of Habiganj, 8.40 percent in Bhedarganj of Shariatpur, 8.28 percent in Madhabpur of Habiganj, 8.27 percent in Kamalnagar of Laxmipur and 8.00 percent in Companyganj of Noakhali.
Besides, the upazilas which got 6-8 percent growth are Chakaria and Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar, Lohagara of Chittagong, Ramgarh, Lakkhichhari of Khagrachhari, Naikhongchhari of Bandarban, Feni Sadar, Fulgazi and Sonagazi of Feni, Noakhali Sadar, Begumganj and Sonaimori of Noakhali, Ramgati, Raipur and Sadar of Laxmipur, Kachua, Faridganj and Shahrasti of Chandpur, Chauddagram, Nangalkot and Monoharganj of Comilla, Akhaura of Brahmanbaria, Gazaria of Munshiganj, Dohar and Savar of Dhaka, Hizla of Barisal, Tajumuddin and Burhanuddin of Bhola, Dashmina of Patuakhali, Saltha of Faridpur, Trishal of Mymensingh, Kalmakanda of Netrakona, Bajitpur of Kishoreganj, Dharmapasha of Sunamganj and Bahubal of Habiganj.
However, the scenario is quite different when it comes to under-18 nationals as data of only 23 lakh youths have been collected with 2.39 percent growth rate against the Commission’s estimate of 48 lakh youths with 5 percent growth of the existing voters.
This year the Commission collected the data of the under-18 nationals aiming to make them voters in 2017 and 2018 when they will turn 18. Admitting the high voter growth, EC Secretary Sirajul Islam said, “We had projected a mere 2.5 percent growth, but now we see the growth rate is going to be almost 5 percent.”
