Activists of the ruling Awami League allegedly ousted the agents of a Khulna-3 independent candidate, while some voters of Khulna-2 alleged that Awami League activists threatened them to cast votes for their candidate.
Moniruzzaman Khan, an independent candidate in Khulna 3, at a press briefing alleged that supporters of former state minister for labour and employment Begum Munnujan Sufian, also a candidate of the constituency, had ousted his agents from the polling centres.
In a written statement to the returning officer, he made allegations against Munnujan, said Moniruzzaman.
However, Presiding Officer Dr Bijon Bihari Sana said no one lodged any complaints, adding that the elections were held peacefully.
District Administrator Anis Mahmud also echoed the returning officer’s voice, and said they did not get any information about any untoward incidents.
At the beginning, voters were confused about security, but gained confidence later and came to the polling centres, he added.
There was a lowever presence of voters because of cold and foggy weather in the morning, said agents of Jatya Party (Monju) candidate of Rashida Karim.
Meanwhile, some voters of Khulna-2 constituency alleged that Awami League supporters went to their residences early in the morning and threatened them, trying to get them to cast their votes for the Awami League candidate. “If we did not carry out their orders, they threatened to lock our house,” one of the voters said on condition of anonymity.
After visiting different polling centres, this correspondent found no queues of voters. He also found some voters alleging that they could not find their names on the voter lists, and so could not cast their votes.
Among the six constituencies in Khulna division, polls were held at three constituencies: Khulna -1, -2 and -3, as in the rest candidates had already been elected uncontested.
