In the fourth phase, voting is going on in 55 municipalities of the country

News Desk: In the fourth phase, voting has started in 55 municipalities of 34 districts. Voting begins at 8am on Sunday (February 14). Voting will continue till 4 pm. Voting is being done through electronic voting machine (EVM) and ballot paper. 218 candidates are contesting for the post of mayor, 2,060 candidates are contesting for the post of general ward councilor and 617 candidates are contesting for the post of reserved ward councilor.

In the fourth phase, there are 501 general wards and 18 reserved wards. 693 polling stations. The total number of voters is 18 lakh 8 thousand 224 people. On the occasion of the vote on Saturday (February 13) evening, the Election Commission (EC) Secretary. Humayun Kabir Khandaker said, "We have given the same message to everyone from Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) to Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy Commissioner (DC), Returning Officer, Assistant Returning Officer that nothing should happen in our election." Because the target of the Election Commission is that the election will be free, fair and credible.

Everything has to be done to make it credible. ' He added: "We hope that the vote on Sunday will be free and fair." EC sources said that 501 executive and 55 judicial magistrates are on the ground to ensure fair voting in the elections. Police have deployed 16 mobile and 55 striking force teams, 16 RAB teams, an average of two platoons of BGB in each municipality and one platoon of Coast Guard in each municipality in the coastal areas. Besides, additional RAB and BGB have been deployed in 12 risky municipalities to make the elections fair and neutral.

The EC had announced the schedule of 56 municipalities for the fourth phase of elections. Later Sonaimuri and Trishal municipalities were added to this step. On the other hand, the election of Natore municipality was postponed by the order of the High Court. In Feni's Parashuram municipality, candidates for all the posts have won unopposed, so there will be no need to vote here.

It was resumed after the Kalai municipality election in Joypurhat was stopped. Besides, the EC postponed the polls in Kalkini municipality of Madaripur due to violent incidents. Therefore, a total of 55 votes are being cast today. The municipalities that are voting are Thakurgaon (EVM) and Ranishankol (Ballot) in Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat (EVM) and Patgram (Ballot) in Lalmonirhat, Akkelpur (EVM) and Kalai (Ballot) in Joypurhat, Shapainwabganj (B) , Godagari (EVM), Tanore (Ballot) and Taherpur (EVM), Baraigram (Ballot) in Natore, Jivannagar (Ballot) and Alamdanga (EVM) in Chuadanga, Chougachha (EVM) in Jessore and Bagharpara (Ballot), Bagerhat in Bagerhat, Sadar (EVM) of Satkhira, Kalapara (EVM) of Patuakhali, Muladi (EVM) and Banaripara (Ballot) of Barisal, Gopalpur (EVM) and Kalihati (Ballot) of Tangail, Melandah (Ballot) of Jamalpur, Sadar (EVM) of Sherpur (EVM) , Phulpur (EVM) and Trishal (ballot) of Mymensingh, Sadar (EVM) of Netrokona, Bajitpur (EVM) of Kishoreganj, Hossainpur (ballot) and Karimganj (ballot); Mirkadim (EVM) of Munshiganj, Sadar (Ballot) and Madhabadi (EVM) of Narsingdi, Goaland (Ballot) and Sadar (EVM) of Rajbari; Nagarkanda (Ballot) in Faridpur, Damudya (Ballot) in Shariatpur, Kanaighat (Ballot) in Sylhet, Chunarughat (EVM) in Habiganj; Akhaura (EVM) of Brahmanbaria, Homna (EVM) and Daudkandi (EVM) of Comilla, Kachua (EVM) and Faridganj (Balt) of Chandpur, Chatkhil (EVM) of Noakhali; Ramgati (EVM) of Laxmipur, Satkania (ballot) of Chittagong, Patia (EVM) and Chandnaish (ballot), Matiranga (ballot) of Khagrachhari; Rangamati Sadar (EVM), Bandarban Sadar (EVM) and Sonaimuri (Ballot) in Noakhali.

In the first phase schedule, EVM voting was held on December 26 in 24 municipalities. The second round of voting took place on January 18. In the third phase, voting took place in 83 municipalities on January 30. The fifth round of voting will take place on February 28.