AL runner threatens voters

The dwellers of Thakurgaon town yesterday expressed fear and panic centering today's municipality polls as the ruling Awami League candidate threatened voters to leave the town if they did not cast votes for "boat".

"Those, who don't want to vote for boat symbol, go to visit your relative's house to Birganj and Panchagrah that are adjacent to Thakurgaon," said Mahmuda Beguma, general secretary of the central committee of Bangladesh Mohila Awami League.

"We don't want to see you in Thakurgaon on February 14," she said while addressing a rally in the Thakurgan Road area in the town on Wednesday.

"Those, who will not cast vote for boat symbol, will leave Thakurgoan," she said, adding, "We don't want to see any poster of the symbol of sheaf paddy on street from tomorrow." 

She also threw a question towards the crowd as saying, "Can any poster of the sheaf of paddy stay, if any soldier is still alive?"

Mahmuda had been staying in Thakurgaon for the last few days to boost up an electoral campaign of Anjuman Ara Begum, a member of the Mohila Awami League central committee, who is contesting for the mayoral post under boat symbol in the municipal polls scheduled to be held today (February 14).

In a separate rally Goalpara area in the town Thursday, Mahmuda said, "What you people, who have love with a sheaf of paddy, will do? You will leave Thakurgaon on February 13. We don't want to see you after the evening of February 13," she said.

On the same, she addressed a separate rally at Shantinagar area where she said, "If there are posters of the sheaf of paddy, I will express my indignation and hate to you and I will assume that no real Awami League man is here."

Multiple videos of her speeches that went viral through social media, sparked panic and fear among people.

"We have become worried following such speech from of senior leader of the ruling party. Now, we are in a dilemma whether we will go to the polling station or not on the voting day," said a resident of Shahapara area in the town seeking anonymity.

Another resident of Munshipara area said, "From our previous experience, we assume that our vote will be cast, even though we do not go to a polling station."

Meanwhile, Awami General Secretary in a press briefing yesterday said, "I have seen her (Mahmuda) speech in a newspaper. I am trying to unearth the truth. We are scrutinizing the video. If such non-political speech was delivered, it is not acceptable. Organizational action would be taken, if proofs are found."

Amid such a situation, the district's deputy commissioner (DC) Dr. KM Kamruzzaman Selim talked to Mahmuda yesterday over the phone.

"She (Mahmuda) told me that she did not ask general voters to leave the area. Rather, she asked those, who were involved with arson attacks and violence in past, to leave the area for the sake of peaceful voting," the DC told The Daily Star last evening.

Talking to The Daily Star over the phone last evening, Mahmuda admitted that she asked those, who have 'love' with BNP, to leave the area.

However, the mayoral candidate Anjuman Ara Begum denied it and said Mahmuda Begum did not make such comments.

Talking to The Daily Star, Anjuman claimed that BNP men made the video clips by editing video and audio by misusing technologies to tarnish the image of AL men.

Contacted, BNP's Shariful Islam many ruling party leaders Mahmuda Begum had been threatening BNP men to leave Thakurgaon.

Even, police were conducting raids to harass BNP men, alleged Shariful.

"We have filed complaints with returning officer to this matter. But no action is yet to be taken," the BNP's candidate added.

However, the district's superintendent of police (SP) Jahangir Hossain said the law enforcers were trying to create a congenial atmosphere so that voting can be held peacefully.

About BNP's allegations, the police official said they were conducting raids to arrest those, who are accused in criminal cases.

Contacted, the District Election Officer Jilhaj Uddin, who is also returning officer, admitted that he had received some complaints from BNP's candidates and the copies of the complaints were forwarded to executive magistrates for legal actions.