Bangladesh’s national parliamentary election and referendum are being held on Thursday, with voting scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The atmosphere has been described as festive, drawing attention from both general voters and political observers eager to see where top party leaders will cast their ballots. According to party sources, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman will vote at Gulshan Model High School and College, while Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman will vote at Manipur Boys High School in the capital. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will vote in Thakurgaon, and Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar in Khulna.

Other leaders from the NCP, Islami Andolon, and the 11-party alliance will also vote in their respective constituencies, including Dhaka, Rangpur, Barishal, and Habiganj. Senior BNP and Jamaat leaders have announced their polling centers across the country, from Comilla to Cox’s Bazar. The report notes that voter enthusiasm had declined in previous years but appears revived this time amid a nationwide election-day atmosphere.

The day’s voting is expected to proceed through the afternoon, with major political figures participating in person at their designated polling centers.