Voting at 64 pourashavas of the country has ended amid clashes, allegations of irregularities and vote boycott. Some pourashavas also saw free and peaceful polls. Voting started at 8:00am and continued till 4:00pm.
Clashes broke out at Katiadi pourshava, shots were fired at Ramganj, candidates were beaten up at Dhunat and Feni and allegations of vote rigging were brought about at Gauripur. BNP and independent candidates boycotted polls at Singra, Darshana, Katiadi, Kolaroa, Sarishabari and some other pourashavas bringing about various allegations of irregularities.
Clash leaves 10 injured in Katiadi, BNP candidate boycotts
At least 10 people were injured as clashes broke out at around 11:00am between two councilor candidates in Kishoreganj’s Katiadi pourashava at Tariakona Government Primary School polling center.
Executive magistrate Rafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo that voting was suspended for a while but resumed after the clashes.
BNP candidate Tofazzal Hossain Khan boycotted the election alleging that Awami League men has established total control in polling centers and they were obstructing the BNP supporters from casting their votes.
Shots fired at Ramganj, 10 injured
At least 10 people including policemen were injured as supporters of two councilor candidates clashed at Pashchim Kajirkhil Government Primary School polling center at Lakhmipur’s Ramganj. Shots were fired as clashes broke out among supporters of Anwar Hossain Jitu and Mamunur Rashid. Chattogram range deputy inspector general (DIG) Anwar Hossain visited the place after the incident.
Police and local sources said, the clash ensued over casting fake votes. Policemen were attacked as they tried to control the situation.
Additional superintendent of police Riazul Kabir said the law enforcers fired 90 rounds of blank shots to quell the situation.
Selim Hossain, a polling agent of rebel Awami League candidate AGM Badshah, allegedly came under attack at Dhunat pourashava. Matiur Rahman, upazila Jubo League president and nephew of AL candidate TIM Nurunnabi Tarik allegedly beat up Selim.
Sub inspector Ripon Mia said Matiur forcibly entered the polling center and attacked Selim.
BNP candidate boycotts Darshana pourashava polls
BNP candidate Habibur Rahman boycotted polls at Darshana pourashava in Chuadanga.
Habibur alleged that the ruling party men ousted his polling agents from different centers. The AL men also intimidated the BNP supporters not to cast their votes, he claimed.
‘AL men’ take position inside polling booth at Ramganj
BNP candidate Tofazzal Hossain brought out allegation of widespread rigging against the ruling party men at Feni’s Ramganj pourashava polls. He said the AL men took position at the secret booths and cast votes in favour of ruling party’s mayoral candidate.
Awami League candidate Abul Khayer Patwary trashed the allegation and claimed that BNP agents left the polling centers sensing defeat.
BNP candidate boycotts Singra pourashava polls
BNP candidate Md Taizul Islam boycotted the polls at Natore’s Singra pourashava alleging that ruling Awami League men resorted to widespread vote rigging with the assistance of administration.
He said ruling party men started to intimidate BNP polling agents and supporters four days before the polls. At least 10 written complaints were lodged with the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and returning officer but the administration turned a deaf ear to those complaints.
Returning officer Md Aslam maintained that the polling was peaceful and termed the BNP candidate’s allegations as false.
Candidates beaten up at Feni
Two councilor candidates were allegedly beaten up at Rampur Mehedi-Saydi school polling center at Feni. Later, a crude bomb was also exploded near the polling center. BNP backed councilor candidate Nur Islam and another candidate named Tajul Islam alleged that Awami League and Jubo League men attacked them.
Awami League’s mayor candidate Nazrul Islam Swapan Miazi said two BNP-backed councilor candidates themselves exploded crude bombs to create anarchy.
4 detained over vote rigging in Gouripur, journo attacked
Four supporters of Awami League were detained from a polling center at Mymensingh’s Gouripur Government College at around 1:30pm for vote rigging.
Earlier, private television channel NTV’s cameraperson Masud Rana came under attack while conducting duty at Sheikh Lebu Government Primary School polling center.
BNP, independent candidates boycott Kalaroa polls
BNP candidate Sheikh Sharifuzzaman and independent candidate Nargis Sultana boycotted polls at Satkira’s Kalaroa pourashava.
Sharifuzzaman said his polling agents were ousted from center No. 3, 8 and 9.
Ballot papers were stuffed at presiding the officer’s room at center No. 9, he said, adding that they didn’t get any remedy after complaining to the on-duty police officer.
Accusing the administration of helping Awami League men, he also alleged that ballots of the mayoral candidate were not given to the voters in some centers.
