Poll violence kills 3 in Bhola, Barishal

At least three people were killed in separate violence during the union parishad elections in Bhola and Barishal on Monday while at a press conference in Dhaka Election Commission, EC secretary termed the deaths as ‘unexpected’.

The deceased in Barishal were identified as Mouje Ali Mia, 68, and Abu Bakar Siddique of Khanjapur under Gournadi upazila in the district while the deceased in Bhola was Munir Majhi,  25, son of Bashir Shikder of Hajirganj under Charfashion upazila in Bhola district.

New Age correspondent in Barishal, quoting Khanjapur union parishad election’s returning officer Mamunur Rahman said that Mouje Ali died during a clash between supporters of two member candidates —Motu Hawlader and Firoz Mridha — at the Kamlapur Government Primary School polling centre at about 11:45am.

He said that an underage boy was detained at the polling station following an allegation brought by a polling agent of Montu that the boy was trying to cast a fake vote.

As the news spread, supporters of both the candidates locked in a clash and hurled bombs at each other outside the polling centre.

Mouje Ali was critically injured as he received splinters of a bomb during the clash.

Villagers said that Mouje was rushed to the Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared that he was brought dead.

Mamunur Rahman said that they were compelled to suspend the polling for an hour until 1:00pm.

Police said that Bakar was killed in a bomb attack allegedly by the defeated member candidate Araj Ali Sarder’s activists after a victory rally brought out in the area by the winning candidate Gias Uddin Mirdha.

In Bhola, Munir was killed in a clash between the supporters of two member candidates during voting at Hajirganj union parishad in Charfashion upazila of Bhola district on Monday, United News of Bangladesh reported.

Mohammad Kaisar, superintendent of Bhola Police, said that the clash broke out between the supporters of two member candidates Yasin Majhi and Ruhul Amin in the Charfakira area at about 11:00am.

There were chase and counter chase during the clash and at one stage, they exchanged gunshots, leaving Monir Majhi injured.

He was taken to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead, said the SP.

Police fired shots in the air to bring the situation under control.

Besides, 10 people were injured in sporadic clashes at different polling stations.

The elections held at 13 districts amid the hike in the Covid infection rate while most voters and supporters and activists of candidates appeared at the polling stations without wearing masks.

Of the electoral districts, according to the Directorate General of Health Services, the infection rate is 40 per cent in Bogura district, 30 per cent in Rangpur, 26 per cent in Jhalokati and over 15 per cent in the rest of the districts.       

In Dhaka, addressing the press conference at the Election Commission’s media centre, EC secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker said that the elections were held peacefully except for some incidents.

He said that the by-election to Lakshmipur-2 parliamentary constituency was held through electronic voting machines peacefully.

New Age correspondent in Lakshmipur reported that AL candidate Nur Uddin Chowdhury Nayan won the by-poll defeating Jatiya Party candidate Sheikh Mohammad Faiz Ullah Shipon.

Nur Uddin bagged a total of 1,22,547votes while Faiz Ullah secured 1,886 votes, said the returning officer.

The constituency fell vacant following the independent lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam convicted in a Kuwait Court.   

He said that elections to 204 UPs held on Monday while 28 ruling Awami League chairman candidates were elected unopposed.

Almost all oppositions, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, boycotted the polls claiming that the electoral system in Bangladesh was being ‘destroyed’ by the EC and the government.

News Courtesy-https://www.newagebd.net/article/141440/poll-violence-kills-3-in-bhola-barishal