Staff Reporter :
The first phase of votes was held in 78 upazilas parishad of 12 districts on Sunday with allegation of vote stamping and snatching ballot papers.
Vote in 14 polling centres were suspended due to violence and clash among the supports of rival candidates.
Police detained four officials, while over 10 were injured including police and ansar members in separate incidents during casting votes.
Vote for 5th upazila parishad election began across all the designated upazilas at 8:00am and continued without a break until 4:00pm.
The suspended 14 polling centres are in Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Kurigram and Habiganj districts where there were allegations of irregularities and snatching of ballot papers.
In Sirajganj, voting at a polling centre under ward No.1 in Sadar municipality was suspended following allegations of irregularities.
Presiding officer Anwar Hossain told journalists that voting in Mahmudpur Government Primary School center was suspended at 2:30 am as some local influential people were forcing them to stuff ballot boxes at night.
Following a written complaint by the presiding officer, district returning officer Abul Hossain and Executive Magistrate Mohammad Rahmat Ullah visited the centre and suspended the voting.
Meanwhile, Presiding Officer Anwar Hossain and two Assistant Presiding Officers Abdul Alim and Belal Hossain were detained in connection of irregularities.
In Habiganj, voting at a polling station of Azmirigang upazila was suspended for snatching of ballot papers by some miscreants.
Presiding officer Mohitush Sutradhar said that around 100 people attacked Paschimbagh Government School polling centre and snatched 163 ballot papers. Later, the authorities suspended the balloting.
Besides, voting at Shahpur Government Primary School centre was suspended in Baniachong Upazila following a clash around 11am.
Six people, including Presiding Officer Jahir Alam, Police constable Jamal Uddin, and ansar member Abdul Malek were injured in the clash, said Baniachong Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Mamun Khandaker.
The clash erupted between the supporters of AL candidate Abul Kashem Chowdhury and AL rebel candidate Iqbal Hossain Khan over occupying a polling center.
Injured constable Jamal Uddin is being taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) by an air-ambulance.
Besides, a group of miscreants also attacked Ikram Government Primary School centre of the upazila. But police brought the situation under control.
In Rajshahi, voting in Al Jamiatus Salafia Alim Madrasa center in Godagari upazila was suspended following the allegation of irregularities.
Returning Officer Mashiur Rahman said voting in the polling center was suspended around 12:45 pm due to stuffing of ballot boxes.
An Assistant Presiding Officer and two Polling agents were detained in this connection.
In Kurigram, voting in 10 polling centres in eight upazilas of the district was suspended following allegations of snatching ballot papers and vote rigging, said Returning Officer Hafizur Rahman.
The size of the electorate in the 78 upazilas is 1,42,48,850 under 5,847 polling stations in 12 districts, which are Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Netrakona, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sirajganj, Joypurhat, Natore and Rajshahi.
Some 207 chairman candidates, 386 vice-chairman candidates and 249 woman vice chairman candidates are contesting in the polls.
Besides, 15 chairman candidates, six vice chairman candidates and seven woman vice chairman contestants have already been elected unopposed.
