Narayanganj: Women were seen out in numbers making their presence felt in Thursday’s Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) elections amid a generally healthy and peaceful electoral atmosphere.  

Most of the women UNB correspondents spoke to pointed to the overall peaceful atmosphere surrounding the election and strong security in all the polling centres as the main reasons behind their high turn-out.

Long queues of women voters were seen at almost all polling centres visited by UNB correspondents throughout Thursday, including Safura Khatun Pilot High School, Suminpara Government High School, Nure Madina Dakhil madrasha, Char Suminpara Government Primary School, Sadar Ali Bhuiyan High School, Adamji Government Primary School, Adamji High School, NW High School, NW College, Dhankura Government Primary School, and BK Child School in Siddhirganj of the city.

Turnout overall can be expected to be high, as all cohorts were seen well-represented queuing up to vote, across all ages and genders.  

Yet possibly the most senior citizen of them all may have been Humaira Begum, 104, who cast her ballot at the MW High School Polling Center. “Voting is my right, and I have come here to exercise my right, even though I needed assistance as I am sick,” she said.  

Morsheda Begum, a sprightly 60 by comparison, cast her vote at the Sramo Kalyan polling station under Bandar thana. She too needed assistance coming to the polling station, which she got from her son and another woman.

Hajera Khatun, a housewife who cast her ballot at the Adamji Government Primary School said “I am very happy having voted. We would prefer a good atmosphere and proper security like today in all future elections. The presence of women voters will increase further if such an environment can be ensured for the next election.”

Qamrunnahar, a first-time voter at NW College polling centre, said “Today is my Eid day. I am very happy.”

Sumi, a garment worker, cast her ballot at the Sadar Ali Bhuiyan High School. Talking to UNB, she said her guardians permitted her to go out and vote in view of the prevailing peaceful atmosphere.

The presence of the women voters became low after 2:00pm as many of them returned to their home to manage kitchen but they came to the polling centres again after completion of their works.