Elderly Voter Dies After Falling Ill at Polling Station

Tragedy struck in Manikganj-1 constituency (Ghiur-Doulatpur-Shibaloy) on Thursday, 12 February, when Babu Mia, a 65-year-old resident of Mahadebpur village in Shibaloy Upazila, collapsed and died while attempting to cast his vote at the Mahadebpur Government Primary School polling station.

According to reports, Mr Mia arrived at the polling centre around 11:30 am, carrying his voter slip (token) with the intention of participating in the election. As he waited to submit his slip, he suddenly became unwell, reportedly experiencing dizziness, and fell to the ground. Fellow voters and local residents quickly came to his aid and transported him to a nearby hospital. Despite their prompt response, he passed away en route.

The presiding officer of the polling station, Faisal Ahmed, confirmed the incident, stating:
“While collecting his voter slip, one individual became suddenly ill. Locals immediately took him to the hospital, but sadly we learned he did not survive.”

Eyewitnesses described the scene as distressing. Abdur Rahman, a local resident, said:
“It was heart-wrenching to witness. He was a van driver from our village, and after receiving his slip, he suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed.”

Mr Mia’s family members also shared their grief. His son, Raju Mia, remarked:
“My father went to vote this morning. He suffered a stroke and passed away there. We never got to see him alive again.”

Local authorities expressed condolences over the tragic event. Shahjahan Mia, Chairman of Mahadebpur Union Parishad, stated:
“Babu Mia, a resident of Mahadebpur, suffered a stroke immediately after collecting his voter slip and sadly passed away. This is an extremely sorrowful incident for our community.”

The incident underscores the vulnerability of elderly voters, particularly during long waits at polling stations, and has sparked concern about the need for on-site medical support for voters, especially those of advanced age.

Summary of Incident

This unfortunate event has left the local community in mourning, highlighting both the excitement and the human cost associated with active civic participation.