Staff Reporter :
The election observes said that violence, vote rigging and irregularities also took place in the sixth and final phase of the Upazila Parishad elections. If the Election Commission does not take stern action against the irregularities, the voters will lose their interest to cast votes in future, they observed.
The observers, under the banner of Election Working Group (EWG), a network of 29 civil society organisations, made their observations at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city on Wednesday. The press conference was arranged to release a preliminary report on the sixth phase of the upazila elections, which were held last Tuesday last. The elections were held in 13 upazilas of nine districts.
EWG director Md Abdul Alim read out a written statement in the press conference while Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, chairman of National Election Observers Council, Teleya Rehman, executive director of Democracy Watch, and Kamrul Hasain Monju, executive director of Mass-line Media Centre (MMC), were also present, among others.
The EWG claimed that some 58 per cent voters cast their votes in the sixth phase of the upazila elections.
Abdul Alim said fake votes were cast and irregularities were indulged in at least 38 polling centres in six upazilas, while violence took place in at least 40 centres in four upazilas. More incidents of violence were reported from Comilla Sadar South and Comilla Adarsha upazilas, he said.
According to him, voters in at least 217 polling centres faced threats, while polling agents from 41 centres were ousted and the observers were not allowed to monitor the vote counting in 22 centres. Voters were obstructed to cast their ballots in eight centres. Voting in at least 12 polling centres were postponed and stopped while some 11 persons were arrested on charges of casting fake votes, capturing centres and stuffing of ballot papers.
The election observes said that violence, vote rigging and irregularities also took place in the sixth and final phase of the Upazila Parishad elections. If the Election Commission does not take stern action against the irregularities, the voters will lose their interest to cast votes in future, they observed.
The observers, under the banner of Election Working Group (EWG), a network of 29 civil society organisations, made their observations at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city on Wednesday. The press conference was arranged to release a preliminary report on the sixth phase of the upazila elections, which were held last Tuesday last. The elections were held in 13 upazilas of nine districts.
EWG director Md Abdul Alim read out a written statement in the press conference while Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, chairman of National Election Observers Council, Teleya Rehman, executive director of Democracy Watch, and Kamrul Hasain Monju, executive director of Mass-line Media Centre (MMC), were also present, among others.
The EWG claimed that some 58 per cent voters cast their votes in the sixth phase of the upazila elections.
Abdul Alim said fake votes were cast and irregularities were indulged in at least 38 polling centres in six upazilas, while violence took place in at least 40 centres in four upazilas. More incidents of violence were reported from Comilla Sadar South and Comilla Adarsha upazilas, he said.
According to him, voters in at least 217 polling centres faced threats, while polling agents from 41 centres were ousted and the observers were not allowed to monitor the vote counting in 22 centres. Voters were obstructed to cast their ballots in eight centres. Voting in at least 12 polling centres were postponed and stopped while some 11 persons were arrested on charges of casting fake votes, capturing centres and stuffing of ballot papers.
