Around 1:50pm, a group of youths were seen forming an orderly queue to enter the polling centre in Segunbagicha High School under Dhaka-8 constituency to cast their votes.

"Every scoundrel wants to be a poet; ants are hell-bent on flying / The jungle's tusked boars lay claim to the highest throne."

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki yesterday said his country expects the next general election in Bangladesh to be free, fair and participatory.

The BNP has claimed that its allegation of “vote robbery” in the December 30 national election has now been proved to be true with the CEC's comment that the use of EVMs can prevent stuffing of ballot boxes the night before an election.

Ballot-stuffing in at least 30 centres began soon after voting began in the morning and continued till it ended in the afternoon in yesterday's municipal polls.