BNP agents ‘kicked out’ of 40 polling stations

BNP mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Manju on Tuesday alleged that the supporters of the ruling Awami League have driven out his polling agents from at least 40 centres of the Khulna City Corporation elections.

Manju said, “It can’t be called voting. The situation is very bad. My agents were beaten up and driven out of polling centres.”

The ruling party men are making gathering at every polling centre to create panic among the polling agents, opposition supporters and common voters, Manju told newsmen at Khulna Zila School centre around 9:30am. 

The BNP candidate said there are 12 polling booths at academy building-1 and academy building-2 of the Zila School. But, he pointed out, the BNP agents were not allowed to enter these centres.

Asked about the matter, Kazi Ibrahim, presiding officer at the academy building-1, said, “No agents of 'sheaf of paddy' (election symbol of BNP) had not been able to reach me.”

Atiar Rahman, a presiding officer at academy building-2, echoed the same, about the BNP's allegations of not having agents at the polling stations.

Manju said he has so far visited 5-6 centres.

The BNP has at least filed 40 complaints with the returning officer. Such centres are located in ward no 11, 13, 15, 22, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31.

The balloting began at 8:00am and is scheduled to continue till 4:00pm without any break.

A total of five mayoral candidates, 148 general councillor and 38 reserved-seat female councillor candidates are contesting the elections.