1.4m new voters

As part of the ongoing voter list updating across Bangladesh, the Election Commission till September 3 registered over 1.43 million (14.37 lakh) people as fresh voters in 189 Upazilas or Thanas out of 514 during the first phase data collection. Of the registered people, the share of men is 52.78 per cent, while that of women 47.22 per cent, according to draft data received so far by the Election Commission Secretariat from the field. A total of 14,36,782 people – 7,58,350 men  and 6,78,432 women – were registered as new voters at 4.08 per cent growth of the existing 3,52,02,298 voters in the 189 Upazilas. But the possible voters have not been registered in three-four Upazilas yet though their data were collected. The commission on July 25 started the data collection of possible voters in 189 Upazilas or Thanas across the country in the first phase with an estimate of 2.5 per cent growth. But the growth rate was more than four per cent in 118 Upazilas out of 189 after registering the new voters. Of them, the rate was more than six per cent in five Upazilas and more than five per cent in 29 other Upazilas. The highest growth rate 7.31 per cent was recorded in Companiganj Upazila of Noakhali, followed by Noakhali Sadar (6.96) and Sonaimuri (6.79). The Upazilas where the growth rate was more than six per cent are Kachua (6.14pc) of Chandpur, Companiganj (7.31), Sadar (6.96) and Sonaimuri (6.79) of Noakhali, and Dashmina (6.28) of Patuakhali. The upazilas which got more than five percent but less than six percent are Maheskhali of Cox’s Bazar, Katiadi of Kishoreganj, Titas and Laksam of Comilla, Terkhada of Khulna, Kapasia and Kaliganj of Gazipur, Gopalganj sadar, Matlab Dakkhin of Chandpur, Kathalia of Jhalokathi, Bhuapur of Tangail, Dohar of Dhaka, Syedpur of Nilphamari, Durgapur and Purbadhala of Netrakona, Charbhadrason and Bhanga of Faridpur, Fulgazi and Sadar of Feni, Nasirnagar of Brahmanbaria, Gazaria of Munshiganj, Kaukhali and Kaptai of Rangamati, Ramganj, Ramgati and Raipur of Laxmipur, Damudya of Shariatpur, Kalaroa of Satkhira, and Madhabpur of Habiganj. In the first phase data collection, enumerators collected data of over 0.26 milion (2.63) lakh dead voters to erase their names from the electoral rolls. In the 189 Upazilas, a total of 84,596 exiting voters have applied for shifting their voting places. Besides, the enumerators collected the data of 9,67,563 under-18 possible voters, born on or before January 1, 2000 but after January 1, 1998 with a view to making them voter in 2017 and 2018 after exceeding their age 18. The commission will complete the three-phase data collection of possible voters, born on or before January 1, 1998, by October next, while taking their photograph and fingerprint by November next. The EC will publish the final updated voter list on January 31 next after disposing of complaints, if any. With 2.5 per cent growth in the country's existing 96.2 million (9.62 crore) voters, the commission earlier estimated that some 2.4 million fresh voters will emerge in 2016, and 4.8 million more in 2017 and 2018 following the data collection, according to a news agency.
- biplab