In a calm and joyous atmosphere, vote counting for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections commenced at 4 p.m. in 42,024 polling places spread across 299 constituencies nationwide.
Voting was open from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. without interruption.
Voters nationwide waited in line since the morning to exercise their right to vote in a joyous manner.

Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister and President of the Awami League (AL), voted at 8:04 a.m. at Dhaka City College. Saima Wazed, her daughter, later cast her ballot at the same location.

At the Habibullah Bahar University College facility here this morning, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal cast his ballot and expressed his hope that elections will be peaceful throughout the nation.

There is a national election every five years. We finish the voting process with everyone's concerted efforts," he said to reporters after utilizing his right to vote at about 8:30 in the morning.

Turnout was 18 percent in four hours.

Voters of both sexes have been observed peacefully casting ballots since the morning, as a celebratory spirit permeates polling places across the nation under strict protection from the armed forces and police enforcement.

In order to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election process, the EC made extensive preparations.


A total of 11,93,33,157 voters—6,05,92,169 men, 5,87,40,140 women, and 848 transgender people—were registered to vote in today's election of 299 members of the parliament.

There are 1,969 candidates running in 299 constituencies, including 1,533 members of 28 political parties and 436 independents.

Eight lakh officials are doing their jobs during the voting process, and around 3,000 magistrates, both executive and judicial, are working with eight lakh law enforcement personnel, including members of the armed forces, to uphold law and order and guarantee public safety.

To run the polls, 66 returning officers (ROs)—two divisional commissioners and sixty-four deputy commissioners (DCs)—are working as a team.

Armed forces personnel were stationed nationwide on Wednesday to support local civil administrations in conducting the general election in a peaceful, fair, and impartial way.

While Navy forces are stationed in 19 upazilas "In Aid to the Civil Power" and two coastal districts, Bhola and Barguna, Army personnel are working in 62 districts.

Additionally, the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) is using helicopters to support the polling places in the nation's isolated highland regions.

To maintain calm and maintain law and order throughout the nation, law enforcement and military personnel will continue to be stationed there through January 10.

Furthermore, BGB Dog Squads with specialized training in handling hazardous items are deployed throughout the nation to address any violent incidents.

In addition, the nation's Fire Service and Civil Defense have established a single monitoring and coordinating cell to handle any occurrence, including violent incidents and fires, during the JS elections.

A sufficient number of local and international media are on the ground to cover the elections and gather images and information, in addition to the approximately 23,000 local and 200 foreign observers keeping an eye on the polls.