Barishal, Feb 12, (V7N) – Polling for Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election and referendum began peacefully across Barishal district Thursday morning, with large numbers of voters lining up from early hours. Voting started at 7:30 a.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m.

Election officials reported calm and orderly conditions as men and women formed long queues at polling centres. Many expressed satisfaction at being able to vote in a peaceful environment. At 8:00 a.m., Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Mufti Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim, contesting with the “Hath Pakha” symbol, cast his ballot at Rupatali Government Secondary School. He urged authorities to ensure voters could cast ballots without fear or intimidation, warning against “engineering” of results.

Authorities have deployed police, Ansar, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel across the district, with additional security at high-risk centres. Barishal has 2,284,978 registered voters across six constituencies, with 833 polling stations. A total of 36 candidates are contesting. In Barishal Sadar alone, 513,003 voters are served by 176 polling stations.

Officials expressed hope that voting would continue peacefully throughout the day, with strong turnout seen as a reflection of public trust in the democratic process.

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