Only 10 upazilas and one city corporation saw increase in the number of voters in fresh electoral roll with photographs while the others recorded staggering decrease compared to the number of voters in the 2006 list.
A progress report by the project for preparing electoral roll with photographs and facilitating issuance of national identity cards indicated that the number of voters in the country will stand at around eight crore, over one crore less than that in the previous list.
Till May 27, field level tasks of voter registration were ‘completed in 410 places’ that include upazilas and city corporations. About 7.27 crore voters were listed, which is around 91 percent of the total. The process now continues in 75 places, the report said.
Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) had said the number of voters would not exceed eight crore.
The progress report indicated none of the upazilas where the field level tasks still continue would see increase in the number of voters.
All the 482 upazilas and six city corporations are supposed to have more voters now than in the previous list since a large number of people have become eligible to be on the list during this period, sources pointed out.
But the number of voters in Sylhet Sadar upazila has now decreased to 1,66,574 from 4,31,609 in the 2006 list, showing 61 percent fake voters in it (previous list).
Similarly, 1,79,293 voters are on the new list for Barisal City Corporation area as against l 3,71,599 in the previous list, showing 52 percent fake voters.
In Ramgati upazila of Laxmipur district, 1,24,084 voters were listed this time compared to 2,92,703 previously, showing 58 percent fake voters, according to the report. The Daily Star got a copy of it.
The 2006 electoral roll prepared for the ninth parliamentary election, which was scheduled for January 22, 2007, had 9.33 crore voters. It showed at least 1.31 crore fake voters, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) census report, 2001.
The BBS report shows the number of people aged 18 years (minimum age of a voter) and above, should be 8.02 crore at best.
The previous voter list triggered widespread protests contributing to cancellation of the parliamentary polls.
Twelve districts that now see over 80 lakh voters less than in the previous list include Sirajganj, Comilla, Noakhali, Mymensingh, Brahmanbaria, Gazipur, Pabna, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Barisal, Dinajpur and Gaibandha.
About the decrease in number of voters, the EC says the way the voter list is being prepared leaves no room for inclusion of fake voters as physical appearance of a prospective voter at registration centres is a must to have his or her photographs and fingerprints taken.
UPAZILAS WITH INCREASED VOTERS
The number of voters registered this time in Chatmohar upazila of Pabna has risen to 1,73,657 from 84,401, in Sujanagr upazila of the district to 1,65,542 from 91,174, Savar of Dhaka to 6,88,581 from 5,47,664, Kaliakoir of Gazipur to 2,65,815 from 2,32,633, Kamalganj of Moulavibazar to 1,63,752 from 1,55,338, Sadar upazila of Naraynganj to 6,79,835 from 5,91,609, Nangolkot of Comilla to 2,40,916 from 2,35,779, Haziganj of Chandpur to 1,73,263 from 1,25, 434, Akhaura of Brahmanaria to 1,03,860 from 94,518 and in Sadar upazila of Bogra to 3,40,317 from 3,35,994.
Chittagong City Corporation has now recorded 15,62,270 voters, up from 14,52,891 in the previous list.
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