Union parishad polls at 10 municipalities were held yesterday amid boycotting election by BNP candidates, vote rigging and series of clashes.
The municipalities are Haragach of Rangpur, Brahmanbarhia Sadar, Jhalakathi Sadar, Kabirhat in Noakhali, Nangalkot in Comilla, Faridpur’s Bhanga, Cox’s Bazar’s Chakaria and Maheshkhali, Feni’s Shonagazi and Jhenidah’s Kaliganj.
Four BNP-backed candidates boycott polls
The poll was held at Brahmanbaria Sadar municipalty amid taking over poling centres, snatching of ballot boxes, series of clashes, explosion of bombs and boycott of elections by BNP-nominated candidate.
Local sources said as soon as the election started, a gang of goons took the control of Puniaut Government Primary School centre exploding hand-made bombs. They also looted ballot boxes resulting suspension of voting.
During a visit to Brahmanbaria Women’s Government College, this correspondent found a festival of vote rigging.
Supporters of Chhatra League district unit Joint Secretary Md Momin Mia took the control of the centre and started casting fake votes.
Later, BNP-supported mayoral candidate Hafizur Rahman Molla Kochi boycotted the election alleging that supporters of AL-backed candidates cast fake votes after forcing his agents out of polling centres.
The BNP-backed mayoral aspirant announced the election boycott at a press briefing around 12:20pm.
Apart from this, BNP-backed four ward coucillors boycotted election. The councillor candidates are Ajit Kumar Das, Ahsan Ullah Hasan, Kongkor Ghosh and Moinul Islam Tutul.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party backed mayoral candidate at Sonagazi municipality in Feni has boycotted the election.
Jamaluddin Sentu, the candidate came up with the declamation yesterday morning while he was briefing the journalists at his house under College road of the municipality.
He alleged that the activists of Awami League took over the centres and cast votes for boat symbol.
On the other hand, Awami League candidate advocate Rafiqul Islam Khokon denied the allegation of Jamaluddin.
Returning Officer Mozammel Hossain said the election was held in a peaceful atmosphere.
The election started around 8am am and ended around 4pm yesterday.
However, Rafiqul was declared the mayor of the municipality in the afternoon.
In Comilla, BNP-supported mayoral contender Jahangir Alam Majumder withdrew himself from the polls race in Nangalkot municipality, as men of the ruling party-backed candidates prevented his supporters from casting votes and occupied some polling centres forcing their agents out of the booths.
Jahangir Alam Majumder announced his polls boycott citing vote fraud at a press briefing at a local BNP office at noon.
In Jhalakati, BNP mayoral candidate Anadi Das withdrew himself from electoral race alleging vote rigging and taking over polling centres by the ruling party men.
He made the announcement at a press conference held at BNP party office around 5pm.
Apart from this, series of clashes took place between the supporters of Awami League mayoral candidate Liakat Ali Talukdar and rebel candidate Afzal Hossain. No polling agents from BNP and rebel candidates were found during the voting.
However, Additional Superintendent of Police Md Abdul Rakib told the Dhaka Tribune that election was held in a peaceful atmosphere.
In Moheshkhali, at least 10 people were injured during clashes between local people and police.
Officer-in-Charge of Maheshkhali police station said the clash had erupted when supporters of a mayoral candidate went to capture polling station and supporters of another candidate resisted them.
To avoid untoward incident police, BGB, RAB personnel were deployed.
Bhanga municipality polls
Voters of Bhanga municipality cast their votes to elect one mayor, 33 Councillors and 10 female councillors in reserve posts.
Five candidates vied for the post of mayor. But according to observers there will be contest between Abu Reza Md Faez, also outgoing mayor, who is the official candidate of Awami League with boat symbol and backed by AL presidium member Kazi Zafrullah while the other is an independent candidate Abu Zafar Munshi, backed by the MP of the area Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury Nixon.
Though BNP and Islami Andolon have fielded their candidates but could not create any bite in the poll race. There is also another independent candidate in the race.
There are 24,662 voters in Bhanga municipal area. Of them 12,340 are male while 12,322 are female. There are 15 vote centers with 81 booths in 9 wards.
Voting suspended in two polling stations in Noakhali
Polls in two polling centers, out of nine, were suspended in Kabirhat Upazila of Noakhali.
The suspended polling centers are Indrapur Government Primary School and Alipur Engineer’s Institute Government Primary School.
Md Monir Hossain, Senior District Election Officer and also the returning officer of Kabirhat Municipality election confirmed the incident.
A mobile court awarded six months jail to two persons for snatching ballot papers and casting false votes at Alipur Engineer Institute Government Primary School center at 2 pm.
They were Zahirul Islam, 20, and Rubel, 22. Senior Judicial Magistrate Mashfiqul Haque passed the order.