Five Awami League-baked candidates were unofficially declared winner in the by-polls held in different upazila and union parishads yesterday, while only one BNP-blessed candidate emerged victorious.
Brahmanbaria by-polls
One died and more than a hundred injured yesterday in the violence that took place centering by-election for the chairman posts of Champaknagar union parishad and Machhihata union parishad held under Bijoynagar upazila and Brahmanbaria sadar upazila respectively.
Supporters of two candidates in Macchihata union parishad engaged in a clash leaving at least 40 people injured. Around 2:30 pm, associates of candidate Mosharrof Hossain reportedly took over the polling centre in East Government Primary School. Hearing the news, associates of rival candidate Al Amin arrived at the centre with arms.
A police team led by Police Super Tapos Ranjan and Officer-in-Charge Akul Chandra Biswas went to the spot and brought the situation under control by firing tear gas and ubber bullets.
On the other hand, in Champaknagar Union Parishad, supporters of two rival candidates Hamidul Haque and Zakir Hossain engaged in a “gunfight” around 2pm.
When informed, police went to the spot and brought the situation under control by firing rubber bullets.
One Babul Miya, 25, died allegedly after getting hit by a rubber bullet. However, Bijoynagar OC Md Abdur Rob said Babul died in the gunfight with the opposition.
According to the unofficial results Mosharrof Hossain Munshi won the by-poll in Machhihata Union Parishad with 4,498 votes, while his nearest contender Al Aminul Haque got 3,259 votes, and in Champaknagr Union Parishad by-poll, Hamidul Haque won with 2,241 votes while his nearest contender Anwar Hossain Chowdhury received 2,194 votes.
Feni by-poll
Awami League-backed candidate Abdul Alim was declared winner unofficially in the Fulgazi upazila by-poll.
Assistant returning officer Mahidur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune that Alim won 47, 266 votes, while his nearest contestant BNP-backed Mahtab Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury Minar bagged only 4,249 votes.
Earlier, around 12:30pm Minar's chief election coordinator Saju Chowdhury announced that Minar had withdrawn from the election protesting large-scale irregularities during the election.
Khulna by-poll
Awami League backed candidate Ms Samsunnaha won the by-poll for the election of vice-chairman in Digholia upazila of Khulna.
Assistant returning officer Md Kamrul Hasan said Samsunnahar got 39,802 votes while her nearest opponent Shikha Begum got 4,193 votes.
Earlier, the BNP-backed candidate Shikha Begum boycotted the upazila by-poll alleging large scale irregularities and demanded a new election.
Barisal by-poll
Five candidates, including a BNP-blessed one, boycotted the Mehendiganj upazila parishad elections alleging various types of irregularities in the voting.
Five out of 12 candidates made the declaration in separate press conferences at the local press club around 10:30am, saying rampant rigging by the musclemen of the ruling party compelled them to shun the race. The candidates for the chairman post were Syed Rafikul Islam Labu (BNP-backed), Major (Rtd.) Nasiruddin Khan (Islami Andolan Bangladesh-blessed), and Golam Wahid Harun (independent) while the other two were vice-chairman candidates Abdul Jabbar Kanon and Munmun Aktar Boby.
Barguna By-poll
Taufiquzzaman Tanu, general secretary of Awami League's Taltoli upazila unit in Barguna, was declared victorious in the union parishad by-poll yesterday.
Tanu got 3823 votes while his closest opposnent Mohammad Abul Hossain got 2591 votes. The election went on peacefully and no incident of irregularities were reported.
Earlier, the seat of Chhoto Bagi union chairman was declared vacant when the then union parishad chairman Moaniruzzaman Mintu was elected upazila chairman.
Chapainawabganj by-poll
Beating ruling Awami League backed candidate Advocate Golam Mostafa by 1,952 votes, BNP backed candidate Abdus Salam unofficially won the Kashba Union Parishad by-poll held in Nachol upazila of Chapai Nawabanj district yesterday.
Abdus Salam received 6,739 votes while Golam Mostafa received 4,787 votes.
Upazila returning officer Rokab Ali Dewan said the by-poll was held peacefully in 12 polling centres.
