Voters are casting their franchise to elect their representatives in 107 upazilas amid tight security.

Voting started at 8am on Sunday (Mar 31) in the 4th phase of the local body elections and it will continue until 4pm without any break.

More than 25.5 million voters are expected to cast votes in 9,740 centres.

In this phase, 351 chairman, 533 vice-chairman and 406 woman vice-chairman candidates are contesting. But 39 chairman, 22 vice-chairman and 27 woman vice-chairman contestants have already been elected unopposed.

Though the election to chairman, vice-chairman and reserved vice-chairman posts will be held under party banner, the ruling Awami League has kept election to the vice-chairman and reserved vice-chairman posts open to all without giving party nominations.

About 150,000 members of Police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) have been deployed to maintain the law and order during the upazila elections while additional BGB personnel will guard 50 upazilas which are considered as risky.

The fourth phase election was scheduled to be held in 128 Upazila Parishads including six postponed upazilas’ election in the three previous phases.

The Election Commission (EC) has suspended the elections to Dumuria (Khulna), Chhagalnaiya (Feni), Trishal (Mymensingh), Barura (Cumilla), Mathbaria (Pirojpur) and Kabirhat (Noakhali).

This time, electronic voting machines will be used in Cox's Bazar Sadar, Patuakhali Sadar, Mymensingh Sadar, Bagerhat Sadar, Munshiganj Sadar and Feni Sadar.

The first three phases of the upazila elections were held on Mar 10, 18 and 24 last and the next phase of the elections will be held in 21 upazilas on Jun 18 next.