59.19pc voter turnout in Feb 19 UZ polls: EWG

Election Working Group (EWG) claimed Saturday that the turnout was 59.19 per cent in the first phase of upazila (UZ) parishad election held on February 19 without any major violence.
The group said the statistics was prepared based on their observation in 25 upazilas out of 97 with a deployment of 2,035 observers.
EWG director Abdul Alim unveiled the election observation report three days after the election at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) in the city.
EWG steering committee member Advocate Rokhsana Khandkar chaired the press conference. Coordinating Council for Human Rights in Bangladesh (CCHRB) president AHM Nouman and executive director of Light House Harun-ur-Rashid also spoke on the occasion.
EWG observed the opening time of the polling centres, vote casting process, closing of the polling centres and overall environment around the polling centres.
The EWG observers found casting of a total of 63 fake votes in the centres under observation, 38 incidents of snatching away ballot paper or occupying polling centres, 40 incidents were found where the security personnel or the election officers were working in favour of some candidates.    
Of the total 25 polling cnetres, voting process was halted in 16 centres for sometime. Supporters of some of the candidates were engaged in publicity within 400 yards (73.28 metres) of about five per cent of the polling centres, 20 incidents of violence were observed inside the polling centres including attempt to occupy the centres, chaos created over attempt to cast fake vote and intimidation of the voters.   
The group also noticed incidents of violence in 29 centres. Presiding officers ensured presence of agents of the candidates in about 90 per cent centres during vote counting. Presence of unapproved persons was found in 13 per cent centres. Slight excitement or dissatisfaction was observed in about 10 per cent centres.