Rail, road blocked demanding vote recount in Gaibandha
Supporters of a defeated union parishad (UP) chairman candidate defy storm and rain to block a train at Bamondanga railway station in Gaibandha district yesterday. They were demanding recounting of votes in Sarbananda UP under Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha. Photo: STAR
Supporters of a defeated chairman candidate yesterday joined a rail-road blockade programme in Sunderganj upazila of Gaibandha demanding recounting of votes cast in Sarbananda Union Parishad election on June 8. Braving downpour, several thousand people of the union put up barricades on rail racks at Bamondanga Station and Bamondanga-Rangpur Road, disrupting rail and road traffic for six hours from 6:00am, reports our correspondent. The agitating supporters of chairman candidate Mujibur Rahman Sarker also held rallies at the railway station and on the road rail to press for the demand. They alleged that the chairman-elect with the connivance of the election officials manipulated the election results and snatched the victory of their candidate. They urged the authorities concerned to arrange recounting of votes at all centres of the Sarbananda Union as early as possible. Otherwise, they threatened to launch a tougher agitation programme in the upazila. According to our Kishoreganj correspondent, post-poll clashes in Itna upazila of Kishoreganj district left at least 22 people injured yesterday. Police and local people said the supporters of chairman-elect Omar Faruq of Itna Union Parishad and defeated chairman candidate Noor Mia locked in a clash at Itna Bazar in the morning, leaving 10 people from both sides injured, reports our correspondent. Locals said the clash ensued following an altercation between the supporters of Omar Faruq and Noor Mia over the election in the union held on Tuesday. Some shops were vandalised at the bazar during the clash that continued for half an hour. Police rushed to the spot, dispersed the clashing groups and brought the situation under control. Of the injured, Fazlu Mia, 60, Nargis Akhter, 25, Jumela Kkatun, 45, and Abdul Hye, 60, were admitted to the local health complex while the rest given first aid. At Purbagram village in the same union, the supporters of member-elect Hazrat Mia clashed with defeated member candidate Chan Mia's men at the village at noon. Villagers said both sides used lethal weapons during the clash, leaving at least 12 people injured. Being informed, law enforcers from Itna Police Station rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Seven of the injured are undergoing treatment at Itna Upazila Health Complex while the rest received first aid at the hospital. Meanwhile, a mobile court on Tuesday fined six chairman aspirants in Itna upazila for violating election code of conduct and realised Tk 44,000 from them. The court led by Executive Magistrate Abdullah Al Masud launched a drive in Dhanpur Union and fined chairmen candidates Tapan Kumar Das, Pradip Kumar Das, Jugesh Chandra Das, Brajan Kanti Das and Al Mamun for printing colour posters and pasting them on walls, violation the election rules. Chairman-elect Omar Faruq of Itna Union Parishad, woman candidate Mahmuda Akhter for the reserved seat and two others of the union were also fined by the mobile court on Tuesday for violating election code. Magistrate Abdullah Al Masud said they were fined for using colour badges and hiring boats for carrying the voters to the polling centres during Tuesday election in the union.
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