The first phase of the fourth Upazila Parishad polls recorded 62 percent voter turnout, up by more than 20 percent from the national elections a month and a half ago, which had witnessed 40 percent voting.
The estimate was made on Thursday after analysing votes polled in 97 Upazilas on Wednesday.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad had earlier in the day said that the voter turnout might be above 60-65 percent.
Though the voter turnout went up in the first phase of the Upazila polls, but it is six percent down from that – 67.69% – of the third Upazila elections held in 2009.
The 97 Upazilas have 16.02 million voters, of whom over 10 million cast their vote for the election of chairman in the Upazilas on Wednesday.
The highest number of votes – 81.62 – was cast in Chapainawabganj’s Nachol Upazila.
The lowest number of votes -37.20% – was polled in Shariatpur’s Jajira Upazila.
Re-polling will be held at two centres of Sirajganj’s Ullahparha to elect its chairman.
Source: Bd news24