Sagar Biswas :The first phase of UP elections in the country’s 712 Union Parishads [UPs] ended on Tuesday amid sporadic violence, leaving at least nine persons killed and 300 injured.Awami League nominated candidates and the party’s rebels were reportedly heading in most of the UPs when the counting was going on for the posts of ‘chairman’ and ‘member’ of general and reserved seats. Out of 118 UPs, the Awami League -backed ‘chairman’ candidates won in 92, BNP -nominated candidates won in 6 and rebel and independent candidates won in 20 UPs till the time of filing this report at 9:15pm. According to first unofficial report available yesterday evening, Awami League candidate Kamrul Hasan was elected as chairman at Dholghata union of Maheshkhali upzila in Cox’s Bazar district. On the other hand, the rebel candidate of ruling party Nur Ahmed was elected chairman at Saint Martin’s union under Teknaf upzila.Just after ending of voting, Election Commissioner Md Abu Hafiz expressed satisfaction over the polls situation, and predicted that the number of vote casting may stand at around 60 per cent.On the other hand, Awami League rebel candidates, BNP, Jatiya Party, Workers Party and independent candidates rejected the voting in different areas within 10:00am raising allegation against ruling party for flexing muscle power. The voting began at 8:00am and it continued till 4:00pm without any break.Meanwhile, cocktail blasts and gunshots rocked the polling stations in different districts when ruling Awami League-backed candidates allegedly locked in clashes with the opponent candidates to occupy poling centres, snatching ballot boxes and stuffing ballot papers, which ultimately resulted suspension of voting in 40 centres by the Election Commission [EC].Nine persons were killed and 300 injured during and after the voting.At least five people were killed when Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) members opened fire to stop ballot snatching after voting in Mathbaria upazila of Pirojpur on Tuesday evening.A group of people swooped on the BGB men when they were carrying the ballot boxes from the Safa Degree College polling centre at Dhonisafa union, police said.Later, the BGB men opened fire in retaliation upon directives from Executive Magistrate Kazi Ziaul Based.In another incident, the elder brother of a candidate Abul Kashem Shikdar, 60, was killed and 10 others were injured in a clash between the supporters of two member candidates in Nabagram, Jhalokathi. The victim, identified as brother of chairman candidate Chunnu Shikdar, was killed when he obstructed the followers of Sajib Hossain as they tried to forcibly capture Kaliandar polling centre. Meanwhile, a local Awami League leader Humayun Mallik, 70, vice-president of Kalisuri union unit in Bauphal, who received severe injuries in pre-poll violence, succumbed to his injuries at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital early Tuesday.Babul Hazi, 45, son of Aftabuddin was killed in an election violence at Borobagh Senior Madrasa center at Latifabad union under Kishoreganj sadar. Besides, another Awami League backed UP chairman candidate’s brother was killed in a clash with supporters of his rival candidates during counting of votes in Khalijhuri upazial under Netrakona. The victim’s name could not be ascertained immediately, police said. Of the injured, about 10 persons received bullet wound when police shot to disperse violent supporters of the electoral candidates in some UPs. Besides, the law enforcers charged baton, lobbed tear gas canisters and fired blank shots in around 50 UPs to maintain law and order.An assistant presiding officer and a polling officer were injured when miscreants fired bullets at a polling centre in Char King union of Hatiya in Noakhali. They are Shahadat Hossain, assistant presiding officer, and Abdul Awal, polling officer, at No: 2 centre.Superintendent of Police of Noakhali Md Ilias Sharif said that the police were trying to nab the criminals those involved in the shooting. Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP], Jatiya Party and individual candidates have alleged that ruling party Awami League-backed supporters forcibly occupied most of the polling centres from the early morning.Based on preliminary information, Assistant Secretary [election management and coordination cell] Ashfaqur Rahman yesterday afternoon said voting was halted in 40 centres of different UPs following irregularities and clashes.In most areas, the ballot-fight was held mainly between Awami League nominated candidates and party’s rebel contenders. The BNP candidates, however, have appeared as potential contestants in several dozens of UPs. The activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, which has lost registration in EC, have extended their support to BNP in most UPs. In yesterday’s election, the aspirants for Chairpersons’ posts contested the race with party electoral symbols for the first time. The contests for the posts of members, however, were devoid of any party connection. Out of total 40 political parties, only 15 parties those registered with the EC have fielded their chairman candidates for the first phase. But 54 ‘chairman’ candidates, 179 members and 54 reserved-seat women members have already won in the election without any ballot contest. The BNP could not field candidates in ‘chairman’ posts in 121 UPs. In 11 UPs, the election will be held on March 23. Besides, the election will be held in Neehla and Hoaikang UPs under Teknaf upzila on March 27.According to Election Commission, around 3,000 contenders are now fighting for the posts of ‘chairperson’ where about 26,000 candidates are contesting for the posts of ‘member’. Apart from them, about 7,500 candidates are fighting for reserved seat posts of members. A total of 1.9 crore voters are expected to exercise their voting rights in this election. Local sources said, a group of miscreants stormed the centre and snatched away a number of ballot boxes about half an hour after the voting began at the Korapur polling centre in Barisal forcing the authorities to keep the polling halted. Besides, fifteen people received injuries in Rahamatpur union of Babuganj upazila in a clash between supporters of BNP-backed aspirants and AL-backed candidate. Reports reached from Patuakhali said, the polling was halted at two poling centres at Golachipa and Kolapara by the authorities in the morning after mass rigging and snatching of ballot boxes by Awami League activists. On the other hand, the candidates of BNP, Awami League rebel group and individual candidates rejected the vote at Boga, Kalimuri, Dhulia and Chotobighai protesting the occupying of centres by miscreants. Besides, the vote casting was halted at 12 polling centres of five upazilas in Satkhira — Bhagbah, Avaytola, Datpur of Kumira union of Tala upazila, Alipur, Mahmudpur, Bharukhali of Sadar upazila, Kolatupi of Kushodanga union of Kolaroa upazila, Khejurbaria of Debhata upazila, Purbakhali, Mahjanpur, Mehedinagar of Kailashi union of Shamnagar — due to vote-rigging and violence. As per complaint lodged by BNP candidate of Deyara union Ibrahim Hossain, the miscreants hurled five crude bombs at his resident in the morning. Another report said that Brammagasa union Awami League and their rebel candidates chased each other to occupy the polling centers leaving 10 people injured.The candidates of BNP in four unions of Kamalnagar upazila in Lakshmipur rejected the vote as Awami League men occupied the polling centers exploding cocktails at about 11:00am.President of Barisal North District unit of BNP and former MP Mejbauddin Farhad alleged that the activists of Awami League forcibly drove away BNP’s polling agents from all centres in four unions of Hijla and eight unions of Mehendiganj. Echoing the same, general secretary of same unit Akon Quddusur Rahman said that the ruling party men applied force on opponent agents to leave the centres of 18 unions at Gournadi, Agoiljhara and Muladi.
