Sylhet, Feb 12, (V7N) – Voting for Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election and referendum began Thursday morning across Sylhet in a festive and peaceful atmosphere. Polling opened at 7:30 a.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m.

Large numbers of voters gathered early, braving the winter chill to cast ballots after 17 years. Long queues formed at centres across Sylhet city and district, with turnout at women’s booths reported higher than men’s at Pathantula Jamia polling station. Authorities deployed police, army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to ensure security. Sylhet division has 19 seats contested by 105 candidates, with over 8.3 million registered voters. Returning Officer Md. Sarwar Alam said campaigning ended peacefully, adding that drones and 47 executive magistrates are on duty to maintain order. RAB-9 Commander Wing Commander Tajminur Rahman Chowdhury reported calm conditions, noting 80 percent of illegal weapons had been recovered in pre-poll operations.

Voting also began in a festive mood across Bagerhat’s four constituencies, with strong turnout since dawn. The district has 1.36 million registered voters across 547 polling stations. Security forces have been deployed, and no untoward incidents were reported.

First-time voters expressed excitement. Mahin, a student at PC College, said, “I hope to restore sustainable democracy by voting for the first time.” Others described the experience as “relief” and “the joy of Eid.” District officials said arrangements include separate queues for women and elderly voters, round-the-clock monitoring, and adequate law enforcement. Long queues and active participation were seen as signs of public trust in the democratic process.

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