Voting in Muktijoddha Sangsad polls is underway peacefully across the country today to elect new committees after nine years Saturday.

Polling started at 9am and would continue till 4pm, without break.

Sangsad sources said 1,62,335 enrolled freedom fighters are expected to cast their votes at upazila, division and national levels to elect their representatives in all three tiers.
   
It would be the firs direct nationwide polls to be held by the Muktijoddha Sangsad, they said.
   
The Sangsad, earlier held indirect elections to elect its representatives, they said.
   
In the last election held in 2001, the councillors voted to elect the central command council and the committees at the other tiers, they added.
   
The contestants have set three panels, one led by incumbent chairman of the Muktijoddha Sangsad central command council Abdul Ahad Chowdhury and the two others led by Helal Morshed Khan and Ismat Kadir Gama.
   
In all 10 candidates is contesting for chairmanship. They are Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, Helal Morshed Khan, Ismat Kadir Gama, Nayeem Jahangir, Abir Ahad, Nasrul Huda, Khalequzzaman, Osman Ali Khandaker, Mohammad Alamgir, Farid Uddin Zakir Khan.
   
A five-member election commission headed by cabinet secretary Abdul Aziz is conducting the election.
   
The Sangsad set up one polling centre in each upazila, one in each division and three polling centres in Dhaka city.
   
The deputy commissioners, upazila nirbahi officers and assistant district magistrates is supervising the elections.
   
A large number of candidates are contesting to get elected as vice chairmen, secretary general, joint secretaries general, organising secretary, assistant organising secretary and executive committee members.

BDST: 1246hrs ; June 26, 2010
SMS/