A polling agent of a defeated independent candidate in Noakhali-2 constituency (Senbagh and a part of Sonaimuri) has been hacked to death at Mirzanagar village of Nateshwar union in Sonaimuri upazila.
The deceased – Shaheduzzaman alias Palash, 35, son of Jamal Uddin – was a polling agent of Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan, a local leader of ruling Awami League who independently contested in the 12th national polls with the electoral symbol scissor.
According to the police and locals, the blood-soaked body of Shaheduzzaman was spotted by neighbours near his residence at around 10:00 pm on Saturday. There were wounds of sharp weapons on his forehead and face. On information, the police rushed to the spot and recovered the body by 11:30 pm.
The supporters of the boat symbol had been threatening Shaheduzzaman in different ways since the polling day, 7 January, when he protested against fake votes and illegal influence. This might have translated into the murder.
Shaheduzzaman worked as a polling agent for the scissor symbol at East Mirzanagar Government Primary School centre.
Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan alleged that the supporters of the boat symbol had been threatening Shaheduzzaman in different ways since the polling day, 7 January, when he protested against fake votes and illegal influence. This might have translated into the murder.
He demanded a fair investigation into the incident and that the criminal be tried.
However, the winning candidate, Morshed Alam, spurned the allegation against his supporters, terming it baseless. While talking to Prothom Alo, he made a counter-allegation that the defeated candidate is carrying out a smear campaign to undermine him in the social sphere.
The newly elected lawmaker also said he asked the officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonaimuri police station for a fair investigation into the incident and to hold the responsible ones on trial.
Contacted, OC Bakhtiar Uddin Chowdhury said they are yet to identify the murderers. Also, he was not aware if the deceased was a polling agent in the recent national election.
The police have already launched an investigation into the murder. Legal actions will be taken as per the complaint of the family, he added.
In the constituency, Morshed Alam of boat symbol emerged victorious with 56,186 votes, while Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan received 52,863 votes.