Election with a difference

With about 95 percent turn out, the child voters of Tangail yesterday voted amid great enthusiasm to elect their union parishad chairmen and members in seven union parishads of Gopalpur, Kalihati, Bhuapur and Modhupur upazilas and two municipal wards of the district town.

A total of 40,000 child voters aged between 6 and 14, and belonging to their 1400 Shishu Parishad Clubs went to 49 polling centres to elect nine chairmen and 81 members from 394 contestants.

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With a view to inculcate democratic values in the children for the advancement of the society, Save the Children, Australia has taken up such exceptional programme with the rural children.

Being nominated by Save the Children following an interview, the selected candidates campaigned on a fixed day on a same stage under the same rules.

With the commitment that 'Vote me if you think me competent' and 'I will work for you even if I fail to win', the children ran their election campaign.

During the visit to several polling centres at Gala and Alenga unions and Adi Tangail pourasava, a group of journalists from Dhaka found the children standing in long queue for casting their vote.

There was a returning officer, assistant returning officers, presiding officers, polling officers, election observers and even police patrolling to encourage the children and bring the real election atmosphere.

Local distinguished persons including school and college teachers were involved with the election process.

The voting started at 10.00am and continued till 3.00pm. Each candidate will be elected for two years.

An election observer Abdul Malek Topu, who is a student of class ten and editor of monthly Shishu Kantha, said, " Currently elections are not held free and fairly in the country. If the children can learn and practice voting in a proper democratic way, they will be able to strengthen the country's democracy in future."

Feroz Al Mamun, another election observer said, "The election is quite peaceful."