EVM carries risk of coronavirus contamination: DGHS

Additional director general of the Directorate General of Health Services Nasima Sultana said that voting with Electronic Voting Machines carried the risk of coronavirus contamination.

She was speaking at a regular media briefing on coronavirus at the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research in Mohakhali on Friday.

Amid spreading of novel coronavirus infection in the country, three parliamentary constituencies – Dhaka-10, Gaibandha-3 and Bagerhat-4 – are going to by-elections on today.

Over 10 lakh people are eligible for exercising their franchise in the three  constituencies. The voting will begin at 9:00am and continue till 5:00pm without any break.

Electronic Voting Machines will be used in Dhaka-10 election, while traditional ballot papers in Gaibandha-3 and Bagerhat-4.

However, returning officer of Dhaka-10 by-election GM Shahatab Uddin on Friday said they have taken cautionary measures following the outbreak of coronavirus.

‘There’ll be sanitiser and hand tissue in every polling booth. Banners will be there urging voters to wash hands before pressing the EVM button to cast votes,’ he said.

Awami League and Jatiya Party are taking part in all the constituencies, but another major political party BNP is running in two constituencies – Dhaka-10 and Gaibandha-3 —as its candidate’s nomination paper was declared invalid for Bagerhat-4.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net