Nazrul Islam Mukul, Kushtia
The Union Council polls of 11 Unions of Mirpur Upazila, Kushtia has ended in chaos. Ballot boxes were ransacked, voting centers were taken over and ballot papers were marked in front of public eyes. The candidates nominated by BNP, JSD and other political parties made complaints to the Presiding Officer, but to no avail. BNP nominated chairman candidate Khandaker Tipu Sultan submitted a written complaint to his returning officer yet no action was taken.
Awami League leaders and candidates attacked the voting centers of 6 Unions in Mirpur Upazila commando style at about 10:30 AM. They snatched the ballot papers away from the Presiding Officer. Later they marked the ‘Boat Symbol’ on ballot papers and put them in the ballot boxes, in front of the local administration. Due to this attack, many voting centers ran out of ballot paper before 1 AM. Unable to vote, voters had to return home disappointed. After 2PM, some of the other voting centers were attacked as well. Presiding Officers of all the voting centers admitted the truth of these incidents. They all said that they had no way to stop this corruption as the attackers were from the ruling party.
The BNP nominated candidates for the chairman posts are no longer participating in the polls. Former MP Professor Shahidul Islam said, “The populace of the country has witnessed how the Awami League workers took over the voting centers, snatched the ballots papers, ballot boxes and elected themselves in the election. Taking part and not taking part in this election is the same. Awami League has done this before to win, they are doing the same thing now.”
Translated by: Sumaiya Kabir