Voting went on under tight security in more than 35-thousand centers
across the country. Election officials required all voters to bring a
new voter identification card to the polls to prevent fraud. There were
a few reports of scattered irregularities and scuffles between rival
party supporters, but the voting was far more peaceful than in earlier
polls.
Election officials and observers are estimating that around 70 percent
of the country's 81 million eligible voters went to the polls.
One-fourth of those eligible voters are on the rolls for the first time.
Bangladesh canceled its last scheduled election, in 2007, after it
disintegrated into violence as supporters of the two parties fought in
the streets. Bangladesh's military-backed interim government has ruled
the country since then.
