The Election Commission (EC) has announced that 59.44 percent of votes were cast in the 13th parliamentary election and referendum.
Ruhul Amin Mallik, director of the EC’s Public Relations Division, disclosed the information around 11:30am on Friday.
Voting for the national election began at 7:30am and continued until 4:30pm without any break on Thursday.
According to EC data, after the country’s independence, the highest voter turnout was recorded in the 9th parliamentary election in 2008, when 87.13 percent votes were cast.
On the other hand, the lowest turnout was in the 6th Parliamentary Election held on 15 February 1996, with only 21 percent.
The first national election was held on 7 March 1973, with a total voter turnout of 53.54 percent.
Additionally, voter turnout was 51.28 percent in the second election on 18 February 1979; 59.38 percent in the third election on 7 May 1986; 54.93 percent in the fourth election on 3 March 1988; 55.54 percent in the fifth election on 27 February 1991; and only 26.74 percent in the sixth election on 15 February 1996.
Later, turnout was 75.60 percent in the seventh election on 12 June 1996; 74.73 percent in the eighth election on 1 October 2001; 87.13 percent in the ninth election on 29 December 2008; 40.4 percent in the 10th election on 5 January 2014; 80.41 percent in the 11th election on 30 December 2018; and 42.04 percent in the 12th election on 7 January 2024.
