Int'l research body conducts exit poll

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FE Report
An international research organisation conducted Monday an exit poll on 150 constituencies during the ninth parliamentary election.
Nielson Bangladesh, formerly known as AC Nielson, conducted the exit poll after the International Republican Institute (IRI) recommended the Election Commission (EC) that it would give a better picture of the outcome of the polls.
"The EC has permitted to conduct an exit poll by the suggestion of an international poll watchdog," said an election commission (EC) official Monday.
IRI is among the many international poll observers focusing on the ninth parliamentary poll that was delayed by almost two years from the schedule.
The popular concept in many Western countries was exercised for the first time in the country, said the official.
The EC officials, however, did not disclose the outcome of the exit poll they received from the surveyors until 4.00pm.
The surveyors numbering more than 525, were appointed for the purpose, said Nielson Bangladesh senior executive Mohan Sheik.
"We have got the voters' response from our field-level surveyors and sent those to the EC," he said.
It will help the EC compare with the poll results, he said.
Nielson Bangladesh officials are very enthusiastic as it offered them an opportunity to get an overview of the polls in Bangladesh. Besides, it is gathering experience, which will help them in coming days, he added.
However, the most voters were not aware of the exit poll.
"I did not know about the exit poll," said Ruma Khan after responding to the surveyors of Nielson Bangladesh at the city's Curzon Hall polling centre.
She knew about white ballot box and provision of 'no' vote in the ballot papers, which were introduced for the first time in Bangladesh."The concept is new to me," she said.
"The response from the voters was encouraging," Sharmina Rahman, one of the three surveyors in the Curzon Hall poling centre, told the FE. "Nine out of ten voters approached responded positively," she added.