The number of businesspeople contesting the upazila polls has gone up, said a report released by Transparency International Bangladesh yesterday.

The overall voter turnout in Tuesday’s second phase of the upazila polls was 37.57 percent, the second lowest since 2009, according to Election Commission data.

Polling agents are being intimidated and beaten up by rivals in two upazilas of Narayanganj as upazila election is underway across the country today, two chairman candidates alleged

More than 57 percent candidates running in the second phase of the upazila polls are businesspeople, according to the affidavits they submitted to the Election Commission.

Shifting focus from its earlier position to keep relatives of its lawmakers from the upazila election, the ruling Awami League now seeks to minimise internal feuds centering on the polls and increase the voter turnout.

At least 111 Awami League rebels have become upazila chairmen, winning in one fourth of the constituencies in the four phases of the staggered upazila polls.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar yesterday said the upcoming “upazila parishad election has lost its grace as it is not participatory”.

Local leaders of the ruling Awami League are hectically lobbying party high-ups and lawmakers to secure party nominations for the upcoming upazila parishad elections.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader says his party will take part in the upcoming upazila elections under the party banner.