The fourth phase of the upazila parishad elections was held peacefully with a low voter turnout on Wednesday.

The usual election fervour was not seen in this phase as the presence of voters was low like in the previous phases of the local government body elections. However, the polls ended peacefully.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said the polling in 60 upazilas in the fourth phase witnessed a 34.33% voter turnout.

"Voting was held in 5,144 polling centres and we got information of 2,089 polling centres. A total of 34.33% voter turnout was witnessed in those polling centres," he said.

"A total of 28 people were arrested for resorting to various irregularities. Of them, nine were handed over punishment and the rest 21 were fined. An incident happened in Bhairab upazila when a ballot box was looted and opened by miscreants. As a result, the polling of the respective centre was suspended," the CEC said.

He also said five people were injured in Barishal when supporters of two groups attacked each other with sharp weapons. 

A presiding officer who stamped the ballot papers himself was arrested in Kendua of Netrokona.
Meanwhile, polling was conducted in Zakiganj and Kanighat upazilas of Sylhet by lighting candles in the centres due to frequent load-shedding amid floods and adverse weather. Voter turnout was low in almost every centre since morning.

Many people did not come to the polling centres due to the flood.

During voting in Jashore Sadar upazila election, it was alleged that a supporter of a chairman candidate was injured after being attacked by a follower of another chairman candidate.
The incident took place near the district school polling station in the town in the morning.

A total of 721 candidates contested the polls -- 251 for chairman, 265 for vice-chairman and 205 for reserved vice-chairman posts, according to the fact sheet of the election.
Of the 495 upazilas in the country, 450 went to the polls this time. The remaining upazilas will hold elections once the terms of their upazila councils end.

Earlier, the first phase was held on 8 May in 139 upazilas with a voter turnout of 36%, the second phase on 21 May in 156 upazilas with a voter turnout of 38% and the third phase on 29 May in 90 upazilas with a voter turnout of 36%.
The voter turnout was 41% in the fifth UZ elections in 2019, 61% in the fourth UZ elections in 2014 and 67% in the third UZ elections in 2009.