Lack of opposition polling agents and young voters was highly evident in the three constituencies, which encompassed some 1,12,1000 voters 434 voting centres.
Upon investigating more than 80 centres, polling agents and young voters were found to be virtually absent.
At Monipur High School voting centre, general voter turnout was lower than the number of supporters and polling agents for the Awami League-backed candidate, Kamal Ahmed Majumder.
However, in the early hours of the morning, men of voting age came teeming into the voting centre, and at 11am, a significant number of female voters came to the centre as well.
The presiding officers expressed disappointment over the low turnout of young voters.
Fazle Rabbi, presiding officer at Mirpur Government High School, echoed similar sentiments, adding that only 30-40% of young voters on the list given by the Election Commission, showed up to cast their votes.
No polling agents found
Sumon Dhali, an executive member of Mirpur Jubo Dal, was beaten up by local Jubo League activists as he tried to reach Ahsania Mission Mohila High School in Mirpur, where he was slated to work as a BNP polling agent.
A local Jubo Dal leader, preferring anonymity, revealed that he was only able to provide a single polling agent at Paikpara Staff Quarter High School in Mirpur.
When asked, the returning officer of the aforementioned voting centre said he did not see any BNP polling agent.
At least 20 presiding officers were asked whether BNP had submitted their polling agents’ names in time. They all replied in the negative.
However, Sumon Dhali said the names of BNP polling agents were provided on Saturday, but the agents either got arrested or were intimidated into withdrawing by the police.
Police’s role
Assistant Sub Inspector of Darus Salam police station, Jahid Hossain, was seen actively barring reporters from going inside Mirpur Laboratory High School.
Later, a more senior officer confirmed that no orders were issued to prevent reporters from entering voting centres.
Shortly thereafter, permission to enter the voting centres was mysteriously given.
When the presiding officer was asked about any information, subordinate officers were seen to be answering on his behalf.
BNP leaders, wishing to remain unnamed, said they were fearful, as they could not even send polling agents to centres in the face of threats and intimidation.
Many shops in the three constituencies were supposedly ordered to be shut down from Saturday morning on, he claimed.
