Cumilla Correspondent : Prof. Mohammad Abed Ali, Chairman, Election Monitoring Forum (EMF), who visited the site, told reporters that the Cumilla City Corporation election has proved that the public interest in voting in Bangladesh has increased.
Abed Ali said this after visiting various polling stations in Cumilla Sadar area on Wednesday, June 15. He paid a visit to Adarsh Hochhamia High School polling station in Sadar. He has visited about 40 polling stations in the City Corporation area since 9 am along with the senior leaders of the forum.
Professor Abed Ali said, “Five organizations have observed 40 polling stations. We estimate that 30 to 35 percent of the vote was cast by noon. If this continues and the situation is good, the vote cast will increase. The biggest notable thing was that the voter turnout at each center was eye-catching.”
Their presence was joyful, with many waiting for two to three hours to exercise their voting right.
This shows that the interest and enthusiasm of the voters towards voting has increased. This is a very positive thing for the electoral situation in the country.
Voters were very sincere, but there were allegations of slow voting in EVMs at various centers. Voters are suffering, but there are two reasons why voting may be slow. First, voters may not be familiar with EVMs. Second, the pre-poll campaign that was needed was not enough.
Ordinary voters could not get acquainted with EVM beforehand. Many have had to try two or three times to get to the polls.
“We did not see any disturbance caused. We also did not find any allegations of obstruction of voters coming to the center”, he said.
He was accompanied by the Vice President of the Election Monitoring Forum, Professor. Abul Kalam Azad, Mizanur Rahman Majumder, Central Co-President of SAARC Human Rights Foundation and other observers. Voting was held non-stop using EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) on Wednesday 15 June from 8 am to 4 pm.
No alternative to collective plan to tackle cut in
Rohingya aid : Experts
DHAKA : Experts and stakeholders Wednesday said there must be a collective plan to cope with the slashing of aid for Rohingyas.
They made the call at a webinar organised by Cox’s Bazar Civil Society and NGO Forum, a network of 60 local organisations.
KM Tariqul Islam, director general NGO Affairs Bureau, said aid for Rohingya response is being slashed due to the global crisis. “So, the government and donors should find realistic ways to attract global donors.”
Shireen Huq, a member of Naripokkho, urged the government to announce a plan and redouble its global efforts on Rohingya repatriation.
Shireen and Disaster Forum Member Secretary Nayeem Gowhar Warha also called on the government to consider signing the Geneva Convention on Refugees.
Ashis Damle of Oxfam requested the international non-governmental organisations to initiate a global campaign to facilitate the early repatriation of the displaced Myanmar citizens.