Standing outside the voting booth and wearing a badge of the boat candidate, an activist told a voter, “Cast a vote for boat symbol at first, and then vote for counsellor candidates as you like.”
Such was the scenario at the women’s voting booth 4 and the man’s voting booth 3 of the 15 No. Chatha Government Primary School centre around 11:30am on Sunday.
This correspondent learned about the identity of the activist wearing a badge after talking to the agents of other candidates. The activist was Mohammad Enamul, from Ganpara area. He runs an event management business and also is involved with Bangladesh Chhatra League.
Visiting the Chatha Primary School polling station around 11:30am, it was found that there is no boundary wall on the school premises. A fence was erected with several bamboo poles tied together with ropes to ensure smooth voting, but activists of the Awami League-backed candidate were seen crossing it to enter the polling booth. Many activists were also seen instructing voters from the window.
Voting was underway at women’s voting booth 4 and mean’s voting booth 3 at a classroom of this polling centre.
Mohamamd Enamul was seen standing next to the voting booth and telling a voter, who was inside the booth, that “Cast a vote for boat symbol first, and then vote for others.”
Though agents of hand fan, deer, table clock and boat symbols were present at the polling station, none of them was seen protesting Mohammad Emanul.
At one stage, on-duty police and Ansar members entered the voting booth and ousted him from the booth. While leaving the booth, Mohammad Enamul was heard instructing the boat symbol’s agent, Sakib Hossain, saying, “Why have you been sitting here. You should be sitting next to the voting booth. Make people vote for boat, and supervise the voting.”
Speaking to Prothom Alo, boat symbol’s agent Sakib Hossain said, “It is true Mohammad Enamul instructed me, but I neither listened to him nor went to the voting booth.” He then said, “I went to the booth only once, not more.” He admitted he did not do the right thing. He told Prthom Alo he did not know BCL activist Mohammad Enamul, who wore a badge of boat symbol.
Abidul Islam was the assistant presiding officer at the women’s voting booth 4 in that room. He told Prothom Alo, “Many people entered the room directly and tried to create chaos. We sought help from police and they assisted us. Those who saying such things were ousted from the room later.”
Since there was no boundary wall at this poll station, members of law enforcement agencies were also facing a hassle to control the crowd.
On-duty assistant sub-inspector (ASI), Suman Chandra Mazumdar was also seen closing the widows from outside so that none can instruct voters anymore.
ASI Suman Chandra Mazumdar said, “The election commission has given us the responsibility to control the outside situation and we are trying to do so. Yet, many people are peeping in and giving instruction from outside. We are removing them.”
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Md Enamul Haque, presiding officer of Chatha Government Primary School polling station, said, “Many people are trying to come in from outside in various ways, but we are not allowing anybody. We have no pressure either and situation is being controlled with the help of police.”