Shawdesh desk:

The postponed Upazila Parishad elections in 18 upazilas across the country’s southern districts were being held peacefully on Sunday.

Originally scheduled for May 27, the elections were postponed by the Election Commission due to Cyclone Remal. The third phase of the sixth Upazila Parishad polls took place on May 29.

UNB’s Khulna correspondent reported that voting in Dumuria, Phultala, and Koyra upazilas was proceeding smoothly under tight security measures. For the first time, members of the Highway and River police have been deployed to maintain law and order during the election.

Khulna’s returning officer and additional deputy commissioner (gneral), Md Nazmul Hussain Khan, said that police, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Coast Guard members were on duty, supported by a total of 37 executive and judicial magistrates.

According to UNB’s Bagerhat correspondent, voter turnout was initially thin at polling stations in Sarankhola, Morrelganj, and Mongla upazilas but increased as the day progressed.

Voting began at 8:00am and will continue until 4:00pm without interruption. No untoward incidents have been reported up to the filing of this report at about 12:30pm.

The upazilas where voting is underway include Sarankhola, Morrelganj, and Mongla in Bagerhat; Koyra, Paikgasa, and Dumuria in Khulna; Gournadi and Agailjhara in Barishal; Patuakhali Sadar, Mirzaganj, and Dumki in Patuakhali; Mothbaria in Pirojpur; Tazmuddin and Lalmohon in Bhola; Rajapur and Kathalia in Jhalakathi; and Bamna and Patharghata in Barguna.