Pourashava polls end amid sporadic incidents
Elections to 60 pourashavas (municipalities) took place in the second phase today, Saturday. Voting began at 8:00am and continued till 4:00pm. There were scuffles and fights among the activists and supporters of the rival candidates in a few centres as well as a few explosions. Vehicles were damaged in certain areas. Other than these few isolated incidents of violence, the pourashava polls were held more or less peacefully.
However, the BNP mayoral candidates in four pourashavas -- Bhabaniganj of Rajshahi, Mongla of Bagerhat, Kuliarchar of Kishoreganj and Iswardi of Pabna --announced their boycott of the election, alleging various irregularities. Independent mayor candidate of Gangni in Meherpur also boycotted the election. A total of 221 candidates vied for the posts of mayor.
There were clashes in Daganbhuiyan pourashava of Feni where four persons were injured in an explosion. Clashes between supporters of two councillor candidates in Mongla, Bagerhat, resulted in the injury of 10. Two were injured in clashes in Shailakupa, Jhenidah. The vehicle of a mayoral candidate there was damaged.
Prothom Alo correspondents said that long queues had formed in front of the centres when the voting began at 8:00am. The voting was continuing peacefully, but after 11:00am, BNP polling agents were driven out of some of the centres and also beaten up. Also, voters known to be BNP supporters were not allowed to enter certain centres.
While there was widespread violence in Arani pourashava of Rajshahi over the past two days, the voting was carried out peacefully. However, on the night before the election, the law enforcement arrested 30 persons. It was a similar situation in Basruhat, Noakhali. Awami League general secretary Obaidul Kader's younger brother and mayor candidate Abdul Kader had been continuously making allegations, but today, Saturday, expressed his satisfaction with the polls.
Boycott and violence
BNP candidate Rafiqul Islam in Iswardi, Pabna, boycotted the election after being shoved about. He alleged that his agents were driven out of all the centres and also said that the votes had been rigged.
BNP mayoral candidate of Mongla port pourashava in Bagerhat, Md Zulfiqar Ali, also boycotted the election. He told newsmen that Awami league had taken over the centre and threatened the voters. They did not allow the agents to remain in the centres and also forced certain voters to vote as directed. The Awami League candidate, however, said that the election had been free, fair and peaceful. The voters had turned out spontaneously.
BNP mayor candidate of Kishoreganj, Nurul Millat, announced his boycott of the polls at 11:00am, telling newsmen that his agents have been chased out of almost all the centres and he had been mistreated.
BNP candidate in Bhabaniganj of Bagmara, Rajshahi, Abdur Razzak, said his polling agents were not allowed to enter the centres and voting was obstructed. At 11:00am he told newspersons that the election was a farce. He said he had gone with his son and nephew to cast their votes at the Shaheed Sekandar Memorial Adarsha High School centre, but Awami League men told them to leave. They did not allow him to enter the center and his supporters were assaulted. He had to leave the place.
Independent mayor candidate in Sripur, Gazipur, Shah Alam, was detained and taken to the police station. This was confirmed to Prothom Alo by the Kaliakoir circle ASP Al Mamun in Gazipur. It could not be known at the time, however, why he had been detained.
Among several other similarly incidents, in Daganbhuiyan, Feni, five persons, including an ansar member, were injured in an explosion at 10:00am in the Ghanipur Government Primary School centre. This incident occurred during clashes between the BNP and AL supporters, Later the law enforcement brought the situation under control.
In the Nazirpur pourashava election of Patnitala, Naogaon, there were allegations of voters being forced to vote for the 'boat' symbol on the EVM. There were incidents of violence at a centre in Shailakupa, Jhenidah, where the mayor candidate's vehicle was damaged.
On 22 December, the election commission announced the second phase election schedule for 61 pourashavas, but polls to Syedpur municipality in Nilphamari was postponed following the death of a mayoral candidate.
The 60 pourashavas include Swandip in Chattogram; Kazipur, Belkuchi, Ullapara, Sadar and Rayganj in Sirajganj; Mohonganj, Kendua in Netrokona; Kushtia Sadar, Kumarkhali, Bheramara and Mirpur in Kushtia; Kulaura and Komolganj in Moulvibazar; Tarabo in Narayanganj; Shariatpur sadar; Nageshwari in Kurigram; Sundarganj and Sadar in Gaibandha; Sadar, Birampur and Birganj in Dinajpur; Nozipur in Naogaon; Bhangura, Santhia, Ishwardi and Sujanagar in Pabna; Arani, Bhabaniganj, Kakanhat in Rajshahi; Sunamganj Sadar, Chatak and Jagannathpur in Sunamganj; Madabpur and Nabiganj in Habiganj; Boalmari in Faridpur; Phulbaria and Muktagacha in Mymensingh; Magura Sadar; Savar in Dhaka; Naldanga, Gurudashpur and Gopalpur in Natore; Sherpur, Sariakandhi and Santahar in Bogura; Pirojpur Sadar; Gangni in Meherpur; Shailakupa in Jenaidah; Khagrachari Sadar; Lama in Bandarban; Dhanbari in Tangail; Chandina in Cumilla; Dhaganbhuiyan in Feni; Kishorganj Sadar and Kuliarchar in Kishorganj; Monohardi in Narshingdi; Basurhat in Noakhali and Mongla in Bagerhat.
The first phase election to 24 pourashavas was held on 28 December, while the third phase election to 64 municipalities will be held 30 January and the fourth phase polls to 56 municipalities on 14 February next.