4th phase UP polls see deadly clashes, ballot-stuffing

The fourth phase of elections to 703 union parishads yesterday saw incidents of violence and  irregularities, including ballot-stuffing and taking over of polling stations.

In Feni, at least 10 people, including four with bullet wounds, were injured in clashes outside different polling stations in two of nine UPs in Feni Sadar and Chhagalnaiya upazilas.

Supporters of AL and BNP nominated chairmen candidates locked in a fierce clash in Dhalia union of Sadar upazila over capturing a polling station, hours after voting began. A shootout followed the clash at Olipur Government Primary School centre. The supporters also blasted crude bombs, leaving a police official injured, said police. Sub Inspector Mohammad Yasin was admitted to a local hospital, said Amirul Alam, assistant superintendent of police of Feni. Police fired 10 rounds to bring the situation under control.

In another incident, supporters of two member candidates of Shuvopur union clashed over taking control of a polling centre. They also fired gunshots during the clash, leaving at least four, including member candidate Mohammad Shahjahan, wounded, said witnesses.

Supporters of the AL-nominated chairman candidate blasted several crude bombs outside Keraniya Shaheed Smrity Government Primary School centre in their attempt to capture the centre. Police resisted the attempts and fired 14 rounds.

In Madaripur, four people including a policeman were injured in a clash between supporters of a chairman candidate and law enforcers at Koyoria Board Government Primary School centre of Koyoria UP under Kalkini upazila.

The clash erupted when around 30 supporters of a chairman candidate entered the polling station and tried to snatch ballot boxes at noon, reports our correspondent. Amir Hossain, sub-inspector of Shibchar Police Station, and three others were injured. One of them sustained bullet injuries as police opened blank fire to disperse the mob.

In Chuadanga, the returning officer of Hardi UP under Alamdanga upazila withdrew an assistant presiding officer of Sheikhpara Government Primary School for his alleged involvement in helping a criminal to case fake votes.

On Friday night, the district police authorities withdrew a sub-inspector of Alamdanga Police Station as he misbehaved with his colleagues while on election duty.

In Sylhet, presence of voters in different polling stations was thin in almost all of the 24 UPs under three upazilas due to rain, reports our correspondent.

In Kushtia, Rab detained a gunman of AL-nominated chairman candidate Akhtaruzzaman from Nawdapara Government Primary School polling centre of Alampur UP under Sadar upazila. The arrestee, Abdur Rahman, was intimidating voters and asking people to cast vote for Akhtaruzzaman, reports our correspondent.

In Jhenidah, a mobile court sentenced a youth to one month's imprisonment for casting fake votes at Shitli Government Primary School centre of Kapashatia UP under Harinakundo upazila.

In Laxmipur, at least 30 people were injured in clashes in two polling stations -- one in Tumchar UP under Sadar upazila, and another in Keroa UP under Raipur upazila.

Supporters of rival member candidates locked in clashes over establishing supremacy in the polling stations, reports our correspondent.

Our Mymensingh correspondent reported that police fired eight rounds of rubber bullets when supporters of an AL-nominated candidate allegedly entered Shapla Government Primary School centre in Naogoan union of Phulbaria upazila around 10:30am, leading to suspension of voting for an hour. Chase and counter-chase took place between supporters of two member candidates outside the centre.

At Babuganj Government Primary School centre in Rangamatia union of Phulbaria, supporters of AL candidate allegedly beat up independent candidate Swapon Talukder and his daughter. Police fired three rounds to control the situation, said Rifat Khan Razib, officer-in-charge of Phulbaria Police Station.

Police fired five rounds when AL men tried to capture Bhabanipur Senior Dakhil Madrasa centre in Bhababipur union of Phulbaria. Police detained 17 persons, including five poll officials, for allegedly casting 'false votes' for AL candidate at Bhabanipur Government Primary School centre in Bhabanipur Union of Phulbaria, said Rifat Khan Razib, OC Phulbaria Police Station. The detainees included a presiding officer, an assistant presiding officer, three polling officers and 12 agents.

Our Chittagong correspondent reports that BNP chairperson's advisor Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin alleged that real democracy had been exiled from the country.

"But this time, we directed our leaders and activists not to boycott the UP elections so that people can come to know how the polling centres are being occupied by the cadres of ruling party and how vote rigging and stuffing are going on in the centres in the name of election," he said at a press conference at his Chatteshwari Road residence. He came down heavily on AL men for capturing polling centres and torturing BNP agents.

Our Munshiganj correspondent adds that voting at two polling centres in Joshlong and Rampal union parishads were suspended after miscreants snatched away ballot papers.

Besides, clashes took place when police tried to foil an attempt by miscreants to snatch away ballots at Serajabad Government Primary School of Jashlang union under Tangibari upazila, leaving five people, including an ASI, injured. Police opened fire to bring the situation under control. Four to five cocktails were exploded at Panam Government Primary School under the same union.

In Sylhet, children were used in electoral activities at different UPs under Bishwanath upazila yesterday, reports our correspondent.

In Meherpur, an AL man, Mahibur Rahman Mintu, also a teacher of Gangni Women's Degree College, was appointed as the presiding officer of Saharabaria Government Primary School centre of  Sholotaka UP under Gangni upazila. Mintu is the Publicity and Publication Secretary of Gangni upazila unit of AL, reports our correspondent.

As per electoral rules, impartial and skilled persons should be appointed as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers, said a deputy secretary of the Election Commission.

About appointment of such a political man as presiding officer, Meherpur district election officer Rokunuzzaman said he was not ware about the incident and returning officer Asaduzzaman said he was threatened by local AL men to keep silent.

Besides, five persons were injured in a clash between supporters of two member aspirants at a polling station at Dhankhola UP under Sadar upazila of Meherepur.

In Pabna, supporters of chairman candidates of AL and AL rebel locked in a clash over grabbing Mominpur Government Primary School polling centre under Manikhat union of Sujanagar upazila, leaving at least 10 injured, reports our correspondent. 

In Natore, BNP-nominated chairman candidate of Khajura UP under Naldanga upazila, Zohirul Islam Bhutto, boycotted the polls alleging vote rigging by AL men.

In Jamalpur, there was massive vote rigging and irregularities by the supporters of AL-nominated chairman aspirants in most of the nine unions in Bakshiganj and Madarganj upazilas of Jamalpur district, reports our correspondent.

Two presiding officers in two poll-centres in Sadhurpara union under Baksiganj upazila were detained allegedly for assisting AL-nominated candidate Mahmudul Alam in stuffing ballot boxes before the poll time, said Subrata Pal, Bakshiganj upazila nirbahi officer. They are Md Anisuzzaman Akanda, presiding officer of Nazrul Islam High School polling centre, and AKM Akramuzzaman, presiding officer of Achchakandi Government Primary School centre.

Police fired around 300 blank shots to bring the situation under control in different polling centres, said Shariful Haque, additional superintendent of police.

In Sherpur, at least 10 were injured in clashes in three UPs over establishing supremacy in polling stations.

The union parishad election at Hathazari upazila was marked by violence, ballot stuffing, ballot snatching, and fake vote casting.

In West Enayetpur Government Primary School, supporters of AL-nominated chairman candidate forced their way into the centre and snatched 500 ballot papers from the officials. When the officials and police tried to resist, around 100 men started pelting stones at the centre. Police fired twelve shots to disperse the attackers. A police microbus was damaged in the clash.

In the Fedai Chowdhury Forkania Madrasha centre, BNP-nominated chairman candidate Jashim Uddin Ziko alleged that his agents were forced out of the centre and the cadres of AL-nominated candidate stuffed the ballots.

A judicial magistrate arrested Nurul Azim Rony, general secretary of the Chittagong city unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, from Chaliapur Board Primary School in Mirzapul Union along with a 9 mm pistol when a group of BCL activists were trying to take control of the centre. Nine other BCL activists, including Hathazari Upazila unit president Arifur Rahman Russel, were also detained from the centre.