A day before the third phase of the Upazila Parishad Elections, three upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) were withdrawn on charges of influencing the polls. Violence and arrests in several districts marred the election eve.
The Election Commission has withdrawn the UNOs of Lohagara in Chittagong, Khulna’s Keshabpur upazila, and Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur, commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told the media on Saturday.
Officers-in-charge of four police stations have also been removed, he added.
Additional forces of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), will be deployed at 24 Upazilas on election day, he added.
As many as 117 Upazilas are set to go to the polls today in the third phase voting of the elections.
Gazipur
Police arrested 32 people over violating the electoral codes of upazila parishad polls in Sreepur of Gazipur.
The arrested are leaders and activists working for Sreepur upazila unit Awami League President, Shamsul Alam Prodhan, said locals.
Identities of them, however, could not be known immediately.
Gopalganj
A mobile court fined a candidate for violating the election code of conduct in Tungipara upazila of the district.
The court, led by Executive Magistrate Milon Saha, fined candidate Md Babul Sheikh, Tk20,000 for violating electoral codes of conduct 11 and 12.
When contacted, Milon said the court fined Babul since his supporters staged a massive showdown on Friday afternoon, breaching the electoral code of conduct of upazila election.
Tangail
Meanwhile, unknown miscreants torched the campaign offices of an Awami League candidate, Shahjahan Ansari, in Sadar upazila.
The office, erected on the Kazipur Govt Primary School playgrounds in Tangail municipality Ward No 10, was burned to the ground.
Shahjahan is vying for the Sadar upazila chairman post in the third phase of the 5th Upazila Parishad Elections.
Jhalakathi
Eight people got injured in a clash between two Awami League groups over the polls in Mothbari union of Rajapur upazila of Jhalkathi.
Around 12am, some Awami League men vandalized the house of Mothbari upazila parishad Chairman, Mustafa Kamal Shikdar, leaving eight people injured.
The chairman was also critically injured in the attack.
Rajapur police station OC, Md Zahid Hossain, confirmed the matter.
Comilla
At least 15 people were injured in a clash between two rival groups of the Awami League in Barura upazila polls last evening.
Awami League candidate ANM Moinul Islam said supporters of independent candidate Sohel Samad attacked his men, leaving 15 critically injured.
On information, police went to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Barura police station OC, Azam Uddin.