Following the political culture, students too have started stealing ballot boxes. The incident took place during a student cabinet election at Kagashura Secondary School in Barisal yesterday afternoon just two hours before the poll ended.
Abdur Rahman, a student at the school, said a few outsiders led by Md Zaman stole ballot papers and boxes around 2pm in support of a candidate named Rabbi, a student of class X.
On receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control by charging batons on them, said Osman Gani, acting officer-in-charge of Barisal Kawnia police station.
Shafiqul Islam, headmaster of the school, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had suspended voting of the cabinet election soon after the theft.
Saidur Rahman Rintu, president of the school management committee, said he had heard about the incident and action would be taken as per the rules.
Luthfunnahar Afroj, district education officer, said this student representative election was held at 517 secondary schools and madrasas of the district yesterday.
The student cabinet election has been introduced at every school across the country to facilitate democratic practices among students, she said, adding that the tenure of the eight-member school cabinet is one year.
After the election, one of the members among the cabinet will be elected head of the cabinet through a voice vote. Later, he or she will distribute portfolios of cabinet colleagues following the norms of parliamentary democracy.
The cabinets will have ministers to maintain the educational environment on campus, including ensuring the mid-day meal for all students of an educational institution.