Stuffing, violence mar UP polls

Violence, widespread stuffing of the ballot box, capture of polling stations and intimidation mostly by ruling Awami League activists marred the third phase of the maiden partisan elections to union parishads on Saturday.
A BNP activist was killed in Border Guard Bangladesh firing in Pabna and at least 100 were injured in violence across the country.
Reports from districts said that supporters of AL candidates, AL rebels and Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidates clashed throughout the day in Comilla, Chandpur, Jamalpur, Brahmanbaria, Bogra, Thakurgaon and others places, as local administrations, in most cases, reportedly showed indifference to violence and irregularities at many of the 614 unions that went to the polls.
Many of the polling centres were allegedly captured by AL activists who stuffed the ballot boxes or forced voters to cast their vote for AL candidates, witnesses said.
Voters at many unions in Jamalpur and Chandpur alleged that AL activists barred voters from casting vote for chairman posts. They asked voters to cast their vote for member and women member candidates only, not for chairman candidates.
The Awami League claimed that the polling was held in a festive mood, but BNP complained about large-scale rigging.
‘A secret contract between Election Commission and government was signed to help AL candidates win the UP polls,’ alleged BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference at the party headquarters.
‘Stuffing of the ballot box, snatching of ballot papers and boxes and proxy votes took place at almost all polling centres like the first and second phases of the union council polls,’ he alleged.
AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif claimed that the third-phase elections were peaceful and acceptable barring two or three stray incidents.
Chief election commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad claimed that the polling was in the third phase was relatively fair compared to the earlier two phases.
Polls at 24 polling centres were suspended because of irregularities and clashes, said the chief election commissioner.
At least 15 chairman candidates including 10 from BNP boycotted the polls halfway through alleging widespread irregularities, including stuffing of the ballot box and capture of the centres by AL activists.
Law enforcers at places had to fire bullets to control the situation, but at most of the places law enforcers were found indifferent to the capture of polling stations, reported New Age correspondents.
AL activists captured many polling stations at about 40 unions as the polling began at 8:00am without presence of polling agents of BNP candidates at many polling stations.
In Pabna, BNP supporter Imdad Hossain, 55, was killed in firing by Border Guard Bangladesh at Bahadurpur Government Primary School centre under Mathurapur union of Chatmohar upazila.
Local people said that election officials announced at 7:00pm that AL candidate Sardar Azizul Haq won the election by four votes. Supporters of BNP candidate Abul Kalam Azad demanded recount of the ballots, triggering a chaos.
Later, AL activists, border guards and police clashed with BNP activists, leaving Imdad dead in gunshot.
Pabna additional superintendent of police Liton Kumar Saha said that Imdad was killed when border guards fired bullets to contain the mob.
‘Magistrate Nasim Sarwar’s permission was taken before opening fire,’ he said.
In Lakshmipur, nine people including two policemen and the husband of a member candidate were injured by bullets as Juba League activist Zakir allegedly opened fire at Saurinda Primary School centre under Isapur union of Ramganj upazila.
Sub-inspector Md Selim and constable Safi Ullah were sent to Ramganj Upazila Health Complex. Member candidate Suravi Begum’s husband also sustained bullet injury.
Safi Ullah said that the AL activists tried to capture the polling station and opened fire.
Confirming the news, Lakshmipur assistant superintendent of police Zunayed Kawsar said that police started drives to arrest the perpetrators.
At Panpara High School centre of Lamchar union, deputy commissioner Zillur Rahman caught red handed Ramganj unit Juba League secretary Foyez Ullah’s brother AG Mahmud and another JL activist when they were stuffing the ballot boxes.
They were jailed for two years by a mobile court.
Polling at Sonapur Government Primary School centre at Raipur upazila in Lakshmipur was suspended on allegation of capturing the centre by AL activists.
Raipur upazila nirbahi officer Sharmin Rahman ordered the suspension at about 10:45am saying that miscreants tried to take control of the polling station.
AL activists beaten police sub-inspector Ziaur Rahman in Bogra for trying to bar them from casting proxy votes at Sonahata Degree College polling centre of Nimgachi union under Dhunat upazila, said Dhunat police station officer-in-charge Mizanur Rahman.
Elangi High School centre presiding officer Selim Reza was withdrawn from election duty for helping rigging for AL candidate of Elangi union MA Tarek Helal, said Dhunat upazila nirbahi officer Hafizur Rahman.
Witnesses said that a group supporter of Helal entered the polling centre at about 12:30pm and started casting vote for AL candidate with the help of presiding officer.
BNP supporters alleged that AL supporters had taken control of different centres in the char areas of Kajla union under Sariakandi upzaila in Bogra.
BNP candidate Rafiqul Islam boycotted the polls in the noon.
In Comilla, two assistant presiding officers — Rafiqul Islam and Shah Alam — were caught red handed by district election officer Rashedul Islam while they were stuffing the ballot boxes at Jagadpur Primary School centre under Jagadpur union of Burichang upazila. They were handed over to police.
Besides, at least 32 people were injured in clashes at four unions of the district, said Rashedul.
At Rajapur union of Burichang upazila, five people were injured as the supporters of AL candidate Golam and AL rebel Shah Alam clashed at Lal Mia Government Primary School centre.
At Durgapur north union, supporters of two member candidates clashed at Badarpur Government Primary School centre and at Khesharat Government Primary School centre leaving 22 people injured.
In Sherpur, at least 20 people were injured as police fired birdshots to protect ballots at different unions under sadar upazila, said sadar police officer-in-charge Mazharul Karim.
In Thakurgaon, three people were injured as supporters of AL chairman candidate Mosarraf Hossain and AL rebel Fazlul Huq clashed at Bhakura Primary School centre at Pirganj upazila.
In Jamalpur, 10 people were injured in a clash between the supporters of two member candidates at Islampur upazila.
Assistant superintendent of police Yunus Ali Mia said that the followers of two member candidates — Mofazzel Hossain and Shahjahan Munshi — of Gaibandha union clashed for taking control of the Porarchar Government Primary School polling centre at about 10:00am.
In Brahmanbaria, three journalists —ATN Bangla bureau chief Pijush Kanti Acharya,  its cameraman Sumon Roy, and My TV cameraman Jabed — were injured in an attack by supporters of the AL chairman candidate while covering rigging at the Chunta AC Academy polling centre at Sarail upazila.
Witnesses said that the supporters of AL candidate Shahjahan Mia stormed the polling centre and started stuffing of the ballot box.
At one stage, they swooped on the journalists on duty who tried to cover the rigging, leaving them injured. They were rushed to Sarail upazila health complex.
In Chandpur clash between AL and BNP supporters at in front of Dhunaua centre of Gobindaganj union under Faridganj upazila left 10 injured.
Police arrested at least 11 supporters of AL candidate of Paikpara Dakhin union Shawkat Ali at Shahapur Government Primary Schools centre with three pistols and locally made weapons.
Chandpur additional superintendent of police Asrafuzzaman said that some of the 11 were listed criminals but he failed to provide political identities.
Polling at four polling centres at Faridganj upazila was suspended on allegation of capture of the centres and staffing of the ballot box.
Srikalia polling centre presiding officer Nurul Amin said that miscreants stormed into three polling stations of Gupti union and started staffing of ballot boxes.
Later, the authorities suspended polling at the centres, including Srikalia, Nawab Ali High School and Asta Mahamaya High School.
Polling at Saisanga Government Primary School centre under Gupti union was also suspended as a group of miscreants stuffed ballot boxes, said presiding officer Bedar Uddin Khan.
In Sirajganj, Thakur Para Primary School centre presiding officer Abdus Sabur Khan was jailed for six months by a mobile court led by executive magistrate Farah Naz Ahmad for stuffing ballots the ballot box for AL candidate for Rajapur union Sonia Sabur Akand, said Belkuchi police officer-in-charge Anisur Rahman.
In Kishoreganj, sexagenarian Siddiqur Rahman Mia, who was injured in pre-poll violence at Srinagar union under Bhairab upazila on Friday morning, succumbed to the injuries at Jahurul Islam Medical College Hospital on Saturday night.
Siddiqur was a supporter of member candidate Selim. He was injured when rival member candidate Badsha Miah’s supporters attacked his house, said Bhairab police officer-in-charge Badrul Alam Talukder.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net