Violence, rigging, snatching and stuffing of ballot papers as well as capturing of polling centres by supporters of ruling party-backed candidates in the sixth and final phase of the Upazila Parishad elections were witnessed again on Monday ignoring the warning of the Election Commission against irregularities.
The polls were held in 12 upazilas in eight districts in the sixth and final phase while by-election of another upazila in another district was also held on Monday. The upazilas are-Rangpur Sadar, Kaunia, Gangachara, Pirgacha in Rangpur, Kamarkhand in Sirajganj, Gazipur Sadar, Adarsha Sadar and Sadar Dakkhin in Comilla, Basail in Tangail, Taltoli in Barguna, Kalukhali in Rajbari and Bijoynagar in Brahmanbaria. The by-election was held in Tarakanda in Mymensingh only for the post of chairman.
At least four chairman candidates boycotted the elections raising allegations of irregularities. The BNP-backed chairman candidate Moniruzzaman Mintu and another BNP rebel chairman candidate Abdul Majid Talukder in Taltola of Barguna respectively announced the election boycott bringing vote rigging allegation against the AL-backed candidate Forhad Hossain.
The duo made the announcement at a press conference in the noon.
Shariful Islam Liton, BNP-backed chairman candidate in Bijoynagar in Brahmanbaria, also boycotted the polls on the same allegation. Jatiya Party-backed candidate Emdadul Haque also boycotted the polls in the same upazila. Meanwhile, voting at two polling centres in Comilla Sadar upazila — Chhayabithi Government Primary School and Afzal Khan Technical College-were postponed as miscreants blasted several handmade bombs and tried to take control of the centres. Clashes also took place between the supporters of AL and BNP-backed candidates in the centres.
Polling at Saha Government Primary School in the same upazila also remained suspended over the allegation of irregularities. At least 621 fake votes were cancelled in two polling centres in the upazila. 600 votes were cancelled in Rasia Bagob Alim Madrasah centre while 21 were in Shahi High School centre. Presiding officers of the centres said that some miscreants forcibly entered the centres and cast the fake votes.
Police arrested three Chhatra League workers with a pistol and four round of bullets from Alekjan Memorial School & College centre in the upazila. BNP alleged that they were trying to capture the centre. The party also claimed that a BNP worker was injured with a bullet hit.
Meanwhile, police detained BNP-backed chairman candidate in Rangpur Sadar upazila nearly four hours before the polls began for violating electoral code of conduct. Masud Rana was held at Pagla Peer area in the upazila as he was using a microbus instead of his own car without permission of EC.
Besides, police detained three people in Kamarkhand in Sirajganj for allegation of casting fake votes. Along with the arrest, the officials of local administration also seized nine books of ballot papers from Jamtoli Model Govt Primary School centre. Police also detained two persons from Bhodroghat Kutirchar Govt Primary School centre on the same allegation.
The voting starting at 8:00 am and ended at 4:00 pm without any break. The Election Commission claimed that the upazila elections were held neutrally in a peaceful manner while BNP alleged of irregularities.
Talking to media just after the end of the polls, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad made the claim of peaceful elections.
BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed alleged of irregularities, snatching ballot papers and capturing polling centres during the voting.
Some 20,000 members of law enforcement agencies, including the army, were deployed during the elections. Army personnel were deployed in the electoral areas three days before the polling day and they will remain there for five days as usual and all types of campaigning declared stopped in the voting areas from Saturday midnight.
Earlier, the EC held polls to 459 upazilas out of 487 in five phases across the country from February 19 to March 31 this year. So far, the AL has 234 Upazila chairmen and the BNP 162 in the five rounds. Along with the Jamaat-e-Islami’s 35 and LDP’s one, the BNP-led 19-party alliance at present has 197 chairmen. Apart from these, three from the Jatiya party, eight from PCJSS, four from UPDF and 11 independent and other aspirants also won chairman posts by the end of the fifth phase.
