Staff Reporter :
The fourth phase of Union Parishard (UP) election has completed with sporadic violence to mark the continuation of the previous three phases.
Balloting for the fourth phase polls to 838 UPs in different districts started at 8:00am on Sunday and continued till 4:00pm without any break.
Besides, elections to three municipalities — Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Raipura in Narsingdi and Atghoria in Pabna — were also held.
The balloting was held through the electronic voting machines (EVM) in 33 UPs and all the three municipalities. Although voter turnout was low in the winter mornings, the crowds increased as the day progressed. They are happy to be able to vote without any hindrance. There were more female voters than male voters in the centres.
Adequate numbers of law enforcement personnel were deployed to ensure security in all constituencies. In the fourth phase, out of 838 UPs, 48 candidates have been elected unopposed for the post of chairman.
Meanwhile, there have been some isolated clashes in the UP elections. At least 22 people have been injured in these incidents. And 28 people have been arrested on the charge of giving fake votes.
Our Kishoreganj report said that polling closed for two hours in Katiadi of Kishoreganj after a chase and counter chase by supporters of two candidates.
A scuffle broke out between supporters of ruling Awami League (AL) and independent candidates at Charpukshia Government Primary School in Jalalpur Union of Katiadi upazila in Kishoreganj.
Polling was suspended for two hours at the polling centre yesterday from 11am. At that time, the police fired several rounds of bullet to bring the situation under control. As the extra police were deployed, voting started again.
Attempts were made to snatch the ballot papers by supporters of the chairman candidates at two centres of Jinari and Sidla unions in Hossainpur upazila. After that the voting of the two centres was postponed for one hour.
Police Super of Kishoreganj Mashrukur Rahman Khaled said that the situation was normal now. Voters were voting peacefully.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Chhatra League’s former general secretary Golam Rabbani was attacked and injured by a group of miscreants at a polling centre during the fourth phase of the union parishad election at Rajoir upazila of Madaripur on Sunday.
The incident happened at the Gangkandi Government Primary School polling centre in Eshibpur union around 2:30 pm.
“Rabbani was taken to Rajoir Upazila Health Complex and was given treatment there. His condition is better now,” said the Upazila Family Planning Officer Pradeep Chandra Mandal.
According to witnesses, Rabbani’s maternal uncle Salah Uddin Ahmed was contesting as an independent chairman candidate in the Eshibpur UP election.
Rabbani tried to enter the polling centre this afternoon as he heard that supporters of another chairman candidate Mosharaf Mollah were trying to rig votes in the centre, they said.
When he protested against casting fake votes, they chased him and slashed his hand with a knife leaving him injured, said witnesses.
Police rescued Rabbani from the crowd and sent him to the upazila health complex, they added.
In the morning, supporters of three chairman candidates clashed at Padua Center in Lohagarh, Chittagong. At least 10 people, including an assistant presiding officer, were injured. 12 people were detained.
Police fired blank shots to control the situation. The chase-counter-chase took place between the supporters of the two-member candidate in Bagha, Rajshahi. Three people including one member candidate were injured. Two people were injured in Halidagachi.
Five people were injured in a clash between two member candidates at Parbatinagar in Laxmipur. One person has been arrested in Hazirpara on the charge of giving fake votes. Besides, 13 agents were arrested for entering different centres of Sonagazi upazila of Feni with mobile phones.
