Bangladesh’s much-discussed national election and referendum are underway, drawing enthusiastic participation from first-time voters. At the Haji Salimullah School polling center in Shyampur, Dhaka-4 constituency, young voters Md. Zahidul Islam, Md. Rifat Ahmed, and Md. Shahriar Islam cast their first-ever votes on Thursday. They told Amader Desh that they were delighted to vote for the first time in a peaceful environment, noting the absence of previous disorder or coercion. Zahidul Islam recalled the July uprising, saying they had taken part in that movement and now felt proud to vote in both the referendum and parliamentary election.

According to the report, 50 registered political parties are participating in this election, with the main contest between the BNP and Jamaat. A total of 127,711,793 citizens are eligible to vote, including 64,825,361 men, 62,885,200 women, and 1,232 third-gender voters.

The peaceful voting experience and high youth enthusiasm suggest a renewed sense of civic engagement in this historic election, as reflected in the voices of first-time voters.