Chittagong Bureau :
The fifth phase of nationwide Union Parishad (UP) elections began peacefully in 47 unions in four upazilas of Chittagong amidst tight security vigil. A large number of voters including women and elderly people were seen in long queues from the very beginning of the votes.
Regional election officer Abdul Baten said the voting atmosphere in all centers was peaceful and they did not receive any untoward incident till the midday yesterday.
Apart from the police, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) forces were mobilized to ensure law and order during the polling in and around the polling centers keeping an extra eye on centres which were identified as sensitive earlier.
A senior police officer familiar with the security measures said over 10,000 policemen, RAB and BGB personnel were deployed in the four upazilas i.e.Rangunia, Boalkhali, Patiya and Chandanish to ensure peaceful atmosphere during the voting while 25 of them were posted in each of the centres.
A total of 163 contenders are vying for the chairmen posts, 352 women are contesting for female reserve members and 1606 are contending for member posts at 47 UPs in four upazilas in Chittagong. The voting started at 8 am and continued till 4 pm without any break.
The fifth phase of nationwide Union Parishad (UP) elections began peacefully in 47 unions in four upazilas of Chittagong amidst tight security vigil. A large number of voters including women and elderly people were seen in long queues from the very beginning of the votes.
Regional election officer Abdul Baten said the voting atmosphere in all centers was peaceful and they did not receive any untoward incident till the midday yesterday.
Apart from the police, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) forces were mobilized to ensure law and order during the polling in and around the polling centers keeping an extra eye on centres which were identified as sensitive earlier.
A senior police officer familiar with the security measures said over 10,000 policemen, RAB and BGB personnel were deployed in the four upazilas i.e.Rangunia, Boalkhali, Patiya and Chandanish to ensure peaceful atmosphere during the voting while 25 of them were posted in each of the centres.
A total of 163 contenders are vying for the chairmen posts, 352 women are contesting for female reserve members and 1606 are contending for member posts at 47 UPs in four upazilas in Chittagong. The voting started at 8 am and continued till 4 pm without any break.
