Presiding Officer Dipankar Karmakar told Prothom Alo that the turnout has decreased due to drizzle in the area since morning. The number of voters will increase as the elections progress.
There are a total of 2780 votes at the male polling station of Asmot Ali Khan Public School and College. Till 9:30 am, only 106 votes were cast at the center which is 3.8 percent of the total votes.
Awami League presidium member and local MLA Shajahan Khan's son Asibur Rehman is contesting in Madaripur Sadar upazila with the pineapple election symbol. His only rival is Pavelur Rahman who is contesting with the motorcycle election symbol. Pavelur is the district organizing secretary of Awami League and cousin of Shajahan Khan.
Both the candidates have accused each other of violating the electoral code of conduct, intimidating voters and distributing money to buy votes.
Due to these allegations and counter-allegations, the election atmosphere in the upazila has become heated.
Law enforcers and the returning officer have termed all 117 polling stations in the upazila as risky.
