First phase upazila polls peaceful

The first phase of elections to 78 upazilas was held in a free and fair manner with a low voter turnout yesterday. However, voting at 27 centres was suspended over allegations of rigging, ballot paper snatching and some other irregularities. Polling was suspended at 27 out of total 5,847 polling stations in six districts, including Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj Rajshahi, Sunamganj and Habiganj. Also, voting in the designated upazilas started at 8:00am and continued without a break until 4:00pm. Counting began after that. At least eight elections officials including two presiding officers, two returning officers have been detained and 10 people were sent to jail due to their alleged involvement with irregularities during voting hour, according to the Election Commission sources. A few stray incidents of violence also took place during the day, report our local correspondents.

Meanwhile, briefing to the media at the Election Commission (EC), its Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad said the yesterday’s first phase upazila elections have been ended peacefully except some stray incidents of irregularities.  

“EC thinks that elections to 78 upazilas were held in a free fair and peaceful manner. Voting to 28 polling stations out of 5847, were suspended over the allegations of irregularities,” he said.

Replying to a question over voter turnout, the EC secretary said, “Though we are yet to know the exact voter turnout of the polls. but the EC is satisfied with the presence of voters during the voting hour.”

Yesterday’s UZ elections were held under party banners for the first time.

As the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had earlier announced that it would not field any candidate for the UP polls, the main battle of ballots will be between the Awami League (AL)-nominated candidates and its rebel leaders. The BNP top brass has expelled over 100 local leaders who wanted to contest the elections by violating party instructions.

So far, 15 chairman candidates have already been elected unopposed. Similarly, six candidates for vice-chairman posts and seven candidates for women vice-chairman posts were elected uncontested.

According to our district correspondents, voting was suspended at the Mahmudpur Govt Primary School in Sirajganj Sadar upazila in the early hours of polling due to irregularities. Three election officials were

also arrested due to their alleged involvement.

In Kurigram, polling was suspended in 13 polling centres following reports

of snatching of ballot papers. The centres are Kurigram Govenment College, Malbhanga Government Primary School, Shibrum Government Primary School and Tograihat Government Primary School under Kurigram Sadar upazila, Purba Poyradanga Government Primary School and Kuthi Naodanga Forkania Ebtedaye Madrasha under Nageswari upazila, Madinatul Ulum Senior Madrasha, Hokodanga No.2 Governmnet Primary School, Kishamat Maltibari Government Primary School and Hatiya Government Primary School under Ulipur upazila, Khaleda-Shawkat Patoary Government Primary School and Boyelmondiarkhata Government Primary School under Chilmari upazila and Dhanarchar Government Primary School under Rowmari upazila. Polling was suspended at Ulipur’s Hatiya Government Primary School centre following a clash between two groups inside the centre at 11:30 am.  

Of the nine upazilas in the district, election to the Phulbari upazila parishad was stayed by the order of High Court Division. The polls were peacefully held in rest of the upazila parishads at Bhurungamari, Nageswari, Rajarhat, Ulipur, Chilmari, Rowmari, Rajibpur and Kurigram Sadar yesterday. Turnout of voters was very low in most of the centres.

At Nageshwari upazila’s Kutinaudanga Forkania Ebtedayee Madrasha centre, voting was suspended due to ballot paper snatching at 10:40am.

In Chilmari upazila, voting was suspended at Khaleda Shawkat Patwary Government Primary School after authorities found instances of ballot stuffing at the polling centre around 12 noon. In Rowmari upazila, voting was suspended at Dhonarchar Government Primary School around 10:45am for the same reason, reports our correspondent.

Meanwhile, authorities have halted voting at two centres in Habiganj when miscreants tried to take control and create chaos at the centres around noon. Later, voting resumed at about 3pm.

Besides, voting in five out of seven upazila parishads in Jamalpur district was held peacefully yesterday, report our correspondents.

According to district election office sources, voting in Bakshganj, Jamalpur Sadar, Dewanganj, Islampur and Sarishabari began at 8am and continued till 4pm without break.

District election officer Md Mokhlesur Rahman said chairman, vice-chairman and woman vice-chairman in Madarganj and Melandaha upazila parishad were elected uncontested earlier. Besides, the chairmen in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila and Sarishabari Upazila were also elected uncontested.

In the five upazilas, out of eight candidates for chairman posts, three are from Bakshganj, two from Dewanganj and three from Islampur. On the other hand, 19 candidates for five vice-chairman posts and 15 candidates for five woman vice-chairman posts also contested the polls.

However, counting of votes was on till the time of filing the report.

Earlier, the Election Commission had postponed voting for the chairman’s post only due to legal issues in Paba upazila in Rajshahi district, Melandaha and Madarganj in Jamalpur district, Natore Sadar upazila, Purbadhala upazila in Netrokona, Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat, Jamalganj upazila in Sunamganj and Sadar upazila in Nilphamari district.

Elections to 129 upazilas will be held in the 2nd phase on March 18. The third phase will be held on March 24, the fourth phase on March 31 and last phase on June 18.

In the second phase, elections will be held in all upazilas under Thakurgaon, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Bogura, Naogaon, Pabna, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Gopalganj, Faridpur, Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari districts, seven upazilas in Chattogram district, Hatiya upazila of Noakhali and Chakria upazila of Cox’s Bazar.

This is the fifth local body elections to be held in the country. The first UP election was held in 1985, then in 1990, 2009 and 2014. The last one was held in six phases.

 

First phase upazila polls peaceful

The first phase of elections to 78 upazilas was held in a free and fair manner with a low voter turnout yesterday. However, voting at 27 centres was suspended over allegations of rigging, ballot paper snatching and some other irregularities. Polling was suspended at 27 out of total 5,847 polling stations in six districts, including Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Sirajganj Rajshahi, Sunamganj and Habiganj. Also, voting in the designated upazilas started at 8:00am and continued without a break until 4:00pm. Counting began after that. At least eight elections officials including two presiding officers, two returning officers have been detained and 10 people were sent to jail due to their alleged involvement with irregularities during voting hour, according to the Election Commission sources. A few stray incidents of violence also took place during the day, report our local correspondents. Meanwhile, briefing to the media at the Election Commission (EC), its Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad said the yesterdays first phase upazila elections have been ended peacefully except some stray incidents of irregularities. EC thinks that elections to 78 upazilas were held in a free fair and peaceful manner. Voting to 28 polling stations out of 5847, were suspended over the allegations of irregularities, he said. Replying to a question over voter turnout, the EC secretary said, Though we are yet to know the exact voter turnout of the polls. but the EC is satisfied with the presence of voters during the voting hour. Yesterdays UZ elections were held under party banners for the first time. As the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had earlier announced that it would not field any candidate for the UP polls, the main battle of ballots will be between the Awami League (AL)-nominated candidates and its rebel leaders. The BNP top brass has expelled over 100 local leaders who wanted to contest the elections by violating party instructions. So far, 15 chairman candidates have already been elected unopposed. Similarly, six candidates for vice-chairman posts and seven candidates for women vice-chairman posts were elected uncontested. According to our district correspondents, voting was suspended at the Mahmudpur Govt Primary School in Sirajganj Sadar upazila in the early hours of polling due to irregularities. Three election officials were also arrested due to their alleged involvement. In Kurigram, polling was suspended in 13 polling centres following reports of snatching of ballot papers. The centres are Kurigram Govenment College, Malbhanga Government Primary School, Shibrum Government Primary School and Tograihat Government Primary School under Kurigram Sadar upazila, Purba Poyradanga Government Primary School and Kuthi Naodanga Forkania Ebtedaye Madrasha under Nageswari upazila, Madinatul Ulum Senior Madrasha, Hokodanga No.2 Governmnet Primary School, Kishamat Maltibari Government Primary School and Hatiya Government Primary School under Ulipur upazila, Khaleda-Shawkat Patoary Government Primary School and Boyelmondiarkhata Government Primary School under Chilmari upazila and Dhanarchar Government Primary School under Rowmari upazila. Polling was suspended at Ulipurs Hatiya Government Primary School centre following a clash between two groups inside the centre at 11:30 am. Of the nine upazilas in the district, election to the Phulbari upazila parishad was stayed by the order of High Court Division. The polls were peacefully held in rest of the upazila parishads at Bhurungamari, Nageswari, Rajarhat, Ulipur, Chilmari, Rowmari, Rajibpur and Kurigram Sadar yesterday. Turnout of voters was very low in most of the centres. At Nageshwari upazilas Kutinaudanga Forkania Ebtedayee Madrasha centre, voting was suspended due to ballot paper snatching at 10:40am. In Chilmari upazila, voting was suspended at Khaleda Shawkat Patwary Government Primary School after authorities found instances of ballot stuffing at the polling centre around 12 noon. In Rowmari upazila, voting was suspended at Dhonarchar Government Primary School around 10:45am for the same reason, reports our correspondent. Meanwhile, authorities have halted voting at two centres in Habiganj when miscreants tried to take control and create chaos at the centres around noon. Later, voting resumed at about 3pm. Besides, voting in five out of seven upazila parishads in Jamalpur district was held peacefully yesterday, report our correspondents. According to district election office sources, voting in Bakshganj, Jamalpur Sadar, Dewanganj, Islampur and Sarishabari began at 8am and continued till 4pm without break. District election officer Md Mokhlesur Rahman said chairman, vice-chairman and woman vice-chairman in Madarganj and Melandaha upazila parishad were elected uncontested earlier. Besides, the chairmen in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila and Sarishabari Upazila were also elected uncontested. In the five upazilas, out of eight candidates for chairman posts, three are from Bakshganj, two from Dewanganj and three from Islampur. On the other hand, 19 candidates for five vice-chairman posts and 15 candidates for five woman vice-chairman posts also contested the polls. However, counting of votes was on till the time of filing the report. Earlier, the Election Commission had postponed voting for the chairmans post only due to legal issues in Paba upazila in Rajshahi district, Melandaha and Madarganj in Jamalpur district, Natore Sadar upazila, Purbadhala upazila in Netrokona, Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat, Jamalganj upazila in Sunamganj and Sadar upazila in Nilphamari district. Elections to 129 upazilas will be held in the 2nd phase on March 18. The third phase will be held on March 24, the fourth phase on March 31 and last phase on June 18. In the second phase, elections will be held in all upazilas under Thakurgaon, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Bogura, Naogaon, Pabna, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Gopalganj, Faridpur, Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari districts, seven upazilas in Chattogram district, Hatiya upazila of Noakhali and Chakria upazila of Coxs Bazar. This is the fifth local body elections to be held in the country. The first UP election was held in 1985, then in 1990, 2009 and 2014. The last one was held in six phases.