Sagar Biswas :
Tension runs high among general people fearing massive violence as fourth phase election to the country’s 743 union parishads is going to be held on Saturday apparently without taking extra precautionary measures by the Election Commission.
In most areas, the Awami League-backed candidates and rebel contenders of the same party are now face-to-face centering the polls, which has already deteriorated law and order situation in several localities.
Like the previous phases, 33 Awami League nominated candidates have won in the fourth phase without any contest and before the balloting started, EC sources said.
According to reports received in Dhaka on Thursday, over 500 polling centres in different unions, including all 106 centres of 11 unions under Sadullapur upazila in Gaibandha district, have been declared ‘risky’ by the local administration.
The situation in Gaibandha is so deteriorating that, out of 106 ‘risky’ centres, 90 centres have been marked ‘highly risky’.
In Dinajpur district, about 48 centres out of 75 under Parbatipur upazila have been declared ‘risky’. The law enforcement agencies were paying extra attention to Belaichandi, Chandipur, Mommthpur, Mominpur, Mostafapur and Harirampur unions apprehending possible violence.
“Seventy-five centres in eight unions are very important. We have marked 48 centres of six unions highly risky,” Mahmudul Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Parbatipur Model Police Station, said yesterday.
Expressing disappointment, Upazila Nirbahi Officer [UNO] of Parbatipur upazila Tarafdar Mahmudur Rahman said, “We have urged the EC to appoint 10 executive magistrates to conduct the polls smoothly. The EC ensured only four magistrates.”
The criminals stabbed and injured rebel candidate of Awami League Rabiul Islam at Palashbaria union under Mohammadpur upazila in Magura district yesterday noon. He was admitted to upazila health complex with critical head injury.
In another incident, the criminals hacked to death one Abul Kalam, a supporter of independent chairman candidate Assaduzzaman Jamal Mollah at Sahebrampur union parishad Kalkini upazila in Madaripur district on Wednesday.
“Some unidentified persons hacked him to death when Kalam came out of his house. He was rushed to Kalkini upazila health complex where on duty doctor declared him dead,” Officer-in-Charge of Kalkini police station Kripa Sindhu Bala said.
At least 10 people, including police officials, were injured when supporters of two chairmen candidates in Jamalpur’s Bakshiganj upazila were locked in a fierce clash on Tuesday night in Jamalpur district.
The situation is almost same in other unions also where supporters of rival candidates are flexing muscles to maintain supremacy in the area and occupy the polling centres.
Meanwhile, the election campaign ended on Thursday midnight in line with the electoral code.
EC Secretary Sirajul Islam said, “We’ve taken all sorts of preparations to hold free and fair elections. Already, the EC has sent necessary materials, including 5 crore ballot papers, to different district election offices. The law enforcement agencies have assured us about taking stringent measures against unlawful activities.”
About 3,245 contenders of different political parties will fight in tomorrow’s election. Of them, Awami League has fielded its candidates in 691 unions, BNP in 619, JSD in 42 and Islami Andolon Bangladesh in 154. As per schedule announced by the EC, elections will be held at 714 UPs on May 28 in the fifth phase and the last leg of polls to be held at 660 councils on June 4.
Earlier, the first phase of the election was held to 739 UPs on March 22, second phase to 643 UPs on March 31 and third phase elections to 685 UPs on April 23.
