Chairman candidates of BNP for all of the three upazilas of Satkhira have boycotted the upazila election alleging foul play by the ruling party supporters.
However, authorities have said that voting began through the three upazilas on 8am on Monday and was underway in a peaceful atmosphere.
Voting at Satkhira Sadar, Debahata and Tala upazilas began in the morning, as part of the fifth phase of upazila election throughout the country.
Tala upazila BNP chairman candidate Badruzzaman and Debahata BNP aspirant Mahiuddin Siddiqui alleged foul play and boycotted polls around 11am.
Satkhira BNP Vice President Kamrul Islam Farroque, who is representing Abdur Raouf in Sadar upazila, confirmed the party’s boycott from the election.
He alleged that the ruling party men had grabbed vote centres and did not allow their agents into the centres. “Many voters went back to their homes unable to cast votes.”
Meanwhile, some other irregularities have been reported, however they were unconfirmed.
About 11 journalists were said to have been held up for about 40 minutes in Tala upazila. Crude bombs said to have exploded in Muktijoddha College centre.
Satkhira police Superintendent Chowdhury Manjurul Kabir and Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Ahsan said voting was underway in a peaceful atmosphere.
A total of 10 are contesting for the chairman positions, 15 for the vice chairman and 10 for the women vice chairman in the three upazilas in this poll.
Satkhira was believed to be a stronghold of the Jamaat-e-Islami and listed “vulnerable” where specialised forces were cracking down.
