Long queues put off voters in Barishal city polls

Delay in voting forced many voters to walk back without casting their ballots at some centres during Barishal City Corporation elections.

Renu Bala, 48, a voter at Rupatali Jagua Primary School centre, told The Daily Star, "I came to the polling station around 8:00am and waited until 10:00am but could not cast my vote due to the long queue."

She continued by saying that she was going back for now and would try to come again at the centre in the afternoon.

Md Ibrahim, 45, Motaleb Rahman, 48, Md Yunus, 42, and several other people were seen leaving the centre without casting votes after spending about two hours at the centre.

The similar scenario was also seen at Purba Rupatali Government Primary School when our correspondent visited the centre.

One Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) at each of the polling centres took time to connect with the server but the problem was resolved within 30 minutes, according to the presiding officers of the respective centres.

The officers said that the voting process was being delayed for matching of the fingerprints.

Moreover, some voters, particularly those above 50-year, found it difficult in using the EVMs.

Babul Patwary, 55, initially had trouble casting his ballot when he arrived at the Shaheed Abdur Rab Serniabat Government High School polling centre.

"I asked for assistance and later I managed to cast my vote with their help," he added.