280 ballot boxes burnt in Sherpur

Over 280 transparent ballot boxes were burnt when miscreants reportedly set fire to the Sherpur district election office early today.

Some unidentified people entered the office breaking its window and set fire to the ballot boxes around 3:00am, said Md Mokhlesur Rahman, the district election officer.

Later, firefighters rushed to the spot and doused the fire around 4:00am, he said.

A case was filed with the Sherpur Sadar Police Station against some unidentified people, Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of the police station, told a correspondent.

None was arrested in connection with the incident till this afternoon.

"Important polling materials are kept at this office. Miscreants might have done to create anarchy," the election officer told The Daily Star.

Materials of worth Tk 8.5 lakh were damaged in the fire, he added.