[ALOCHONA] UZ polls held amid violence : 200 injured, 30 arrested, turnout low, ballot papers-boxes snatched, polling held up in 6 upazilas, over hundred centres

UZ polls held amid violence : 200 injured, 30 arrested, turnout low, ballot papers-boxes snatched, polling held up in 6 upazilas, over hundred centres     Voter turnout was low at Muradnagar Government School Centre under Comilla district in the Upazila elections yesterday. NN photo     Upazila elections: Some rows are empty at Khrisnapur Government Girls High School at Pabna town during polling hours yesterday. FocusBangla The Upazila election was marked by widespread violence, lack of enthusiasm among voters, capturing of polling stations, snatching of ballot boxes, stuffing of ballot papers and violation of election code of conduct leaving over 200 people injured. Members of law enforcing agencies arrested over 30 persons, including election officers, during the election on charge of violation of election code of conduct. Election to six upazilas, out of all 481 upazila parishads, were postponed by the Election Commission on different charges including barring voters to cast their votes, snatching of ballot boxes, stuffing of ballot papers and showing influence of vested quarters. The upazilas where polling was postponed yesterday are Ramganj in Luxmipur district, Brahmanbaria Sadar, Belkuchi in Sirajganj district, Barura in Comilla and Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar. Earlier on January 15, the election to Ukhiya upazila in the Khagrachari hill district was postponed. Besides, polling at many polling centres at different parts of the country has also been postponed considering deterioration of election environment. The areas where violence and irregularities occurred include Bhola, Pabna, Chandpur, Barguna, Munshiganj, Comilla, Bagerhat, Khulna, Patuakhali, Sherpur, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria, Laxmipur, Noakhali, Sirajganj, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Nilphamari and Dhaka's Keraniganj area. Turnout of voters in most of the polling centres across the country was around 50 percent that was above 80 per cent during the December 29 parliamentary polls. The presence of voters was thin in the morning while voters' turnout started to pick up later in the day. In his reaction, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda expressed his dissatisfaction over low turnout and influence of ministers and MPs belonging to the ruling party in the upazila election. State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Abdul Latif Biswas allegedly stayed at Sirajganj during the polls and influenced the election in favour of ruling party candidates. Wide range of violent clashes including bomb explosion, exchange of bullets, damaging a UN election observer car marked the third upazila polls held after 19 years. In some places voters could not exercise their franchise as the activists of the ruling Awami League reportedly attempted to take over centres that led to low turnout in the polls. A total of 73,517,849 voters were supposed to cast their vote in 32,356 polling centres under the 480 upazila areas where 3,316 aspirants are in the race for the post of chairman, 2,879 for vice-chairman, and 1,936 women as vice-chairperson. 14 candidates have been elected vice-chairpersons uncontested, 9 of them woman. It may be mentioned that the first election for the Upazila Parishads was held in 1985 and the second in 1988. The polling began at 8:00am and continued till 4:00pm without any interval. The government had taken three-tier security measures to maintain law and order during the elections. Some 5 lakh security personnel, including 38,000 army troops, have been deployed throughout the country for smooth and peaceful holding of the upazila elections. Our Barisal Correspondent reports upazila election in Barisal region was held peacefully but without any enthusiasm in most places with low vote casting rate of about 50-60 percent and some stray incidents. Police opened fire to foil attempt of capturing vote centre by AL candidates and vote casting stopped for some time in two centres of Mehendiganj upazilas Police arrested two election activists there. In Chittagong, voting was held peacefully at 14 Upazila in Chittagong amid poor turnout in many centres. The number of voters was thin in Patia AJ Chowdhury College and Talimul Haque Madrassa, Foujdarhat KM High School and some other polling centres in the first two hours. According to the presiding officers, the turnout was less than seven percent while it was 25-30 percent in the national elections. Our Sirajganj correspondent said voting was halted at Belkuchi Upazila after the followers and supporters of ruling Awami League barred voters from casting voting. Noakhali correspondent informed four-party backed chairman candidate Fakhrul Islam Faruk withdrew his candidature from Companyganj Upazila polls in Noakhali alleging attacks on his supporters, takeover of polling centre and indifference of administration. Supporters of Awami League-backed candidate AFM Babul attempted to take away ballot papers at Kalikapur Government Primary School centre at Sonaimuri Upazila in Nokhali. As they failed they tore a number of pages of the voter list from the two polling booths. Voting was halted for half an hour in Baktarchar HIgh School centre in Keraniganj as the polling agents of 'Rickshaw' symbol allegedly snatched 77 ballot papers. Police detained Shahidul Islam, Muluk Chan, Suruj Zaman, Moslem and Abu Taleb in this connection. Comilla Correspondent reports the EC suspended the vote casting of Barura Upazila under Comilla district following massive vote hijacking and series of clashes between the two rival groups. Besides, the voting at some polling centres of Nangalcourt, Sadar Daksin, Doudkandi, Monohargonj upazilas of Comilla were held amid incidents of clash, ballot hijack and arrest. At least 56 people were injured in several upazilas of Comilla. Barura Upazila Officer Wahidul Islam told the reporters that some miscreants snatched 600 ballot papers from Kacia Pokuria and Pilgiri centre under Barura upazila. Police detained six persons including a polling office identified as Md Ibrahim while they were involved in irregularities during vote casting at Kachia Pukuria Centre. At least 25 persons including two policemen were injured following a clash between police and vote snatchers at Ratanpur Madrasha Centre at Daskin Upazila in Comilla. Two Awami League rivals exchanged gun fire at Uttar and Daskin centres of Panchgacia of Daudkandi upazila under the district. Four persons received bullet injuries at that time. Police arrested ten persons for their involvement in the incident. On the other hands, 31 persons were injured at Monohargonj and Chaddagram upazilas. Our Kishorganj correspondent said that vote casting was suspended in three centre due to the clash between the two factions of AL-backed candidates. He informed that the vote casting at Hashempur High School of Mitha Moin Upazilla and Khayerpur High School of Austagram Upazilla was totally suspended where Garbichhudia centre of Hossainpur was hanged for 20 minutes. Munshiganj correspondent reports voting was disrupted at Shimulia Government Primary School of Guagachhia union under Gazaria Upazila in Munshiganj after ballot papers were snatched. Polling agents of a candidate broke the ballot box and fled with ballot papers. The presiding officer of the centre also fled the scene later. Police held a school student, Jewel, with a pistol at Baushia Government Primary School under Gazaria Upazila. Our Thakurgaon correspondent said police detained four persons including an assistant polling officer from Sadar and Baliadangi upazila in separate incidents. Of them, mobile court awarded six-month jail term to three of them. Cox's Bazar correspondent reports voting was stopped for 20 minutes at Kakara High School at Chakaria in Cox's Bazar after workers and supporters of two chairmen candidates clashed at the start of voting. Election to Ukhia Upazila in Cox's Bazar was called off on Wednesday night over violence that left around 80 injured. Brahmanbaria correspondent reports violence in Natai Government Primar School of Natai union of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila left the presiding officer injured. MK Masuk was admitted to Brahmanbria Ssadar Hospital in a critical condition. Pabna correspondent reports 10 people were injured in a clash between supporters of two chairman candidates at Char Bhabanipur polling centre of Berar Upazila. Police arrested Mujahid Hossain Mohan and Shahin. In Khulna police arrested a man, Abdur Rahim, from Islampur Government Primary School centre at Koira Upazila on charges of casting fake votes. In Patuakhali the mobile court jailed a polling agent to six months for barring voters from casting votes and attempting to influence people to vote for a particular candidate. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/01/23/news0350.htm

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