Tamim Iqbal hails 'excellent' voting atmosphere

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Tamim Iqbal praised the voting atmosphere after casting his first-ever vote today.

“This is the first time I have cast a vote. It feels great. The environment at the centre was excellent, and I was able to vote for my preferred candidate,” Tamim said with a smile while speaking to reporters after voting.

Tamim, a voter of the Chattogram-9 constituency, cast his ballot at the Regional Public Administration Training Centre in the city’s Askar Dighir Par shortly after 11:00am. Escorted by army personnel, the former skipper arrived at the centre under security protocol. The polling station is located a short distance from his residence in the Kazir Dewri area.

Later, in a post on his official Facebook page, Tamim expressed satisfaction with the overall voting atmosphere and thanked law enforcement agencies for maintaining order.

“Voting is my civic right. I cast my vote myself and saw that many others were voting with spontaneous enthusiasm,” he wrote.

“Many thanks to the Bangladesh Army and all law enforcement agencies for assisting everyone in maintaining an orderly and fair environment,” he added.

According to election officials, Chattogram-9 has 416,363 registered voters, with 10 candidates contesting the seat.

The constituency, comprising Kotwali, Bakalia and Chowkbazar areas, is witnessing a high-profile contest between BNP’s Mohammad Abu Sufian and Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dr AKM Fazlul Hoque.

Officials reported a steady flow of voters at centres across the city throughout the day, with security forces deployed to ensure smooth and peaceful polling.