The 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election was held in a largely peaceful atmosphere across Bangladesh on Sunday (January 7), except for some reports of sporadic violence and boycotts by several candidates over ‘irregularities’.
A large number of law enforcers, members of the armed forces, Border Guard Bangladesh, Ansar, and VDP were deployed all over the country to maintain law and order during the polls held in 299 out of the 300 constituencies.
After voting ended at 4pm, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the overall atmosphere was peaceful.
The Election Commission (EC) revoked the candidacy of Awami League candidate Mustafizur Rahman Chowdhury, also the MP in Chattogram-16, on allegations of threatening law enforcers. It was the first time in the country's history that the EC cancelled the candidature of a ruling party aspirant at the eleventh hour of the polls citing “gross violations of the electoral code of conduct”.
Locals and EC sources said 28 candidates had boycotted the polls raising various allegations, including ballot stuffing and vote rigging. They also alleged their agents had been driven away from polling stations and the supporters of their rivals had captured election booths.
In Sylhet-2, Gano Forum candidate Mokabbir Khan, Jatiya Party’s Yahya Chowdhury, Trinamool BNP's Mohammad Abdur Rab, and independent contestant Muhibur Rahman boycotted the elections at a joint press briefing at 1:30pm.
They alleged there was no fair voting atmosphere in the constituency as the supporters of their rival Awami League candidates were openly threatening their polling agents with firearms and asking them to stay away from election booths.
In Sylhet-4, Trinamool BNP candidate Abul Hossain, a former MP, boycotted the elections midway alleging irregularities by the ruling party candidate. Another contestant of the party, MM Shaheen in Moulvibazar-2, also boycotted the polls.
Jatiya Party candidate in Narayanganj-2 Alamgir Sikder Loton announced election boycott over allegations of fake voting by the Awami League candidate’s supporters.
Before he made the announcement, a clash had taken place between the supporters of Awami League candidate Nazrul Islam Babu and those of him, leaving two people injured. Police fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.
In Khulna-1, Trinamool BNP candidate Gobinda Chandra Pramanik boycotted the elections at 3:30pm alleging vote rigging.
“I visited different polling stations and found very few voters. I thought the maximum turnout would be 10%. But when I inquired around midday, I was informed that 60% of votes had been cast. We boycotted the farcical polls,” he said.
Independent candidate Firojur Rahman Oli in Brahmanbaria-3, Jatiya Party’s Rejaur Raji Swapon Chowdhury and ANM Rafiqul Alam Selim in Thakurgaon-1 and Narsingdi-2 respectively, and Workers Party’s Hafijur Rahman in Narail-2 boycotted the polls on allegations of irregularities, vote rigging, and driving their polling agents away from election booths.
Bangladesh Nationalist Movement candidate Mohammad Abdul Matin in Chapainawabganj-3, Jatiya Party’s Enayet Hossain Mondol in Mymensingh-2, Trinamool BNP’s Abdul Malek Faraji in Mymensingh-7, and independent candidates Abul Hossain Dipu and Kaiser Ahmed in Mymensingh-10 boycotted the elections on the same allegations.
Independent candidates Muntakim Ashraf Titu in Cumilla-7, Mizanur Rahman in Cumilla-11, and Ashraful Alam Liton in Jashore-1 boycotted the elections claiming that the Awami League candidates’ supporters stuffed ballots publicly, hurled crude bombs, and forced all 55 of their polling agents to leave election booths.
Jatiya Party’s Mir Shamsul Alam Lipton in Jamalpur-3 and independent candidate Barrister Mizan Saeed in Cox's Bazar-3 quit the race alleging the election had turned out to be a "farce".
Independent candidates Yunus Talukder Thandu in Tangail-2, MR Jamil Hossain in Bagerhat-4, and Panjab Biswas in Pabna-4 boycotted the polls. Bangladesh Nationalist Movement candidate and singer Doly Shaontoni in Pabna-3 also boycotted the elections.
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of violence were reported in different areas, leaving two people dead in Munshiganj and Cumilla and injuring many others. Clashes took place in Dhaka, Chattogram, Munshiganj, Cumilla, Tangail, Narayanganj, Gaibandha, Kishoreganj, and Madaripur.
Four people, including a child, were injured as two crude bombs exploded in front of Battala Jamia Anwarul Uloom Madrasa in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh around 11:30am.
Two people were shot during a clash between the supporters of the Awami League candidate and the independent contestant in Pahartali under the Chattogram-10 constituency. An Awami League activist was seen wielding a firearm during the clash near a polling station in Khulshi.
EC sources said the commission postponed voting in 21 polling stations across the country on allegations of violence and irregularities. Besides, two assistant presiding officers died due to illness while on duty on Saturday night. One of them died of a heart attack.
The EC said irregularities took place in 140 polling stations across the country and 42 people were arrested in these connections.
The commission also ordered the arrest of Industries Minister and Awami League candidate from Narsingdi-4 Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun's son over allegations of irregularities.
Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun said there was a festive atmosphere in the polling stations across the country, except for some isolated incidents.
BDST: 0810 HRS, JAN 08, 2024
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