Municipality polls: Voting underway in Cox’s Bazar

Voting in Cox’s Bazar’s municipality elections is underway amid tight security. 

The voting began at 8am on Wednesday and will continue till 4pm. 

Voters braved the rain, and queued, at the polling centres to cast their ballots. 

There are a total of 83,728 voters – 44,373 men and 39,355 women – in 12 wards of the municipality. 

A presiding officer is serving in each polling centre and an assistant presiding officer is working in each booth. 

Furthermore, 448 polling agents are also serving across all 39 of the municipality’s polling centres. 

Five candidates are running for mayor, 17 for reserved women councillor posts, and 64 for general councillor posts. 

Cox’s Bazar Returning Officer Md Mozammel Hossain said they have taken every measure to ensure that voters cast their ballots peacefully.  

There will be 12 magistrates for all the wards. 

Two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh, six patrol teams of Rapid Action Battalion, and a huge number of policemen are there to maintain law and order in the polling centres, he said.

Furthermore, there will be a string force for two centres—; members of Ansar and the Armed Police Battalion are also ensuring security for the voters, the returning officer added. 

Additional Superintendent of Police Md Afruzul Haque Tutul said they are taking all security measures to ensure a free and fair election. 

He also seeks the cooperation of the candidates, and others concerned, for a peaceful election.