UZ polls: AL 31, BNP 8, others 6

Awami League favourites keep on widening their margin in the fifth phase of the upazila parishad polls held on Monday, taking 31 upazilas against BNP loyalists’ eight and others 6 as shown in the latest results. Elections in 73 upazila parishads across 34 districts were held earlier in the day amid reports of various irregularities and election boycott by a number of chairman and vice-chairman candidates, particularly by that of BNP loyalists. The polling was held from 8am to 4pm without any break, wrapping up the five-phase local government elections. At least 22 chairman candidates, mostly BNP-backed ones, boycotted the elections in Amtali, Bamna and Patharghata of Barguna, Tala and Debhata of Satkhira, Rupganj and Araihazar of Narayanganj, Sadar and Alamganda of Chuadanga, Kalapara of Patuakhali, Ashtagram of Kishoreganj, Madarganj of Jamalpur, Chandina of Comilla, Sadar of Tangail. A total of 1,056 candidates contested the elections for 219 posts, including 362 for chairman posts and 418 for vice chairman positions. The vice chairman posts for women had 276 candidates, said the EC secretariat. The 73 upazilas have 13,891,751 voters, including 6,930,269 men and 6,961,482 women under 5,534 polling stations. On February 20, the Election Commission announced schedule for the fifth phase upazila elections. In the previous four phases of the upazila polls, Awami League favourites won 167 upazilas against their arch-rival BNP-blessed candidates, according to a news agency.