Massive irregularities in the Chittagong City Corporation polls yesterday morning have marred the enthusiasm of the voters. Most of them, especially women, did not even go to the polling centres.
There are a total of 18,13,449 voters in the port city where 12 mayoral candidates and 275 councilor aspirants contested in the election.
SM Ismail Babul, a resident of Ward 1 of CCC, told Dhaka Tribune: “The Elephant symbol supporters forced the local voters out of the booths and took control of the centre.”
Farzana Akhter, resident of the city’s New Market area, said she saw on television that her area’s councilor candidates were clashing over the voting process. “I felt insecure, so I did not go to the polling centre,” she said.
Chittagong University’s Public Administration student Jack Jewel, a new voter, did not go to the polling centre when he heard of repeated clashes between his local ward councillor aspirants.
“The electronic media failed to show the real picture of voting rigging,” complained garment worker AKM Saiful Islam of CEPZ.
An Election Commission Official in Chittagong, seeking anonymity, told Dhaka Tribune that vote rigging took place in almost all the polling centres in the outskirts and 12 centres of Hathazari upazila of the district.
Upon visit to several centres it was found that voting irregularities were taking place right in front of the administrative staff and law enforcers but they were not doing anything.
CCC Election Returning Officer (RO) Md Abdul Baten said around 3:30pm that 62-70% votes were cast and the process was free and fair.
Refuting allegations of voting irregularities, the RO said “Some adverse incidents occurred but the situation in most of the polling centres were peaceful and festive.”