The polls were held peacefully and there were no incidents of stuffing fake votes, snatching ballot papers or capturing of polling stations
The field-level officials of the Election Commission have not found any proof of violence and irregularities during the upazila parishad polls and claimed that the media reports were incorrect.
Returning officers and district election officers from 40 districts sent investigation reports to the commission after looking into the allegations, EC sources said. All the reports mentioned that there was no proof of violence and irregularities.
The reports say the polls were held peacefully and there were no incidents of stuffing fake votes, snatching ballot papers or capturing of polling stations.
There had been incidents of violence, capturing polling centres, vote rigging and snatching of ballot boxes reported in different electronic and print media. The EC also suspended polls in two upazilas and 140 polling centres due to violence.
The commission took the media reports into cognisance and asked the returning officers and the district election officers on April 7 to investigate those allegations.
Assistant Secretary of the EC Asfakur Rahman yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have received some probe reports on violence and irregularities during the upazila polls. I am gathering the reports which will be presented at the next commission meeting.”
The polls took place in 459 upazilas in five phases across the country. Elections in 14 upazilas will be held on May 19.
According to the report from Jessore, there were no vote-rigging incidents in Keshabpur upazila. The report signed by District Election Officer Tareque Ahmed also stated that the media reports on enforcement of hartal protesting vote rigging were incorrect as the voters exercised their franchise “peacefully.”
Similar opinion came from Gazipur and Feni. The investigation report of Gazipur states that there were no incidents of irregularities, casting of fake votes or capturing of polling centres in Kaliakoir upazila parishad polls. Even though incidents of vote-rigging were reported in Feni Sadar, Porshuram, Phulgazi and Sonagzi upazilas, the probe report termed the elections free, fair and peaceful.
The returning officer of Noakhali, also the district’s additional deputy commissioner, said in the investigation report that the published reports on irregularities in Subarnachar and Hatia upazila polls were inaccurate.
Election Commissioner Abdul Mobarak earlier said those responsible for irregularities would not be spared. “If the commission finds involvement of anyone in irregularities, it will take action as per the laws.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
