Municipality Polls Today: Many fear irregularities, violence
Fifty-five municipalities in 34 districts go to polls today amid worries over violence and confusion among many about being able to cast votes in a free and fair manner.
The confusion stemmed from some remarks made by ruling party leaders in a few of the districts. A leader in Lakshmipur asked voters to cast their ballots in public for an Awami League mayor candidate. Another AL leader, in Chuadanga, went one step further and ordered party men to bar anyone from voting for candidates from other parties.
Besides, several people have been injured in clashes in the run-up to the election.
This time, the Election Commission is holding municipal polls, which take place after every five years, in six phases. The fourth phase is being held today.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are in use in 29 of the 55 municipalities while traditional ballot papers in the rest.
Mainly, the AL and its political archrival BNP are locking horns in the polls, which also has mayor candidates from other parties, including the Jatiya Party and Islami Andolon.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said they took all measures to hold the election peacefully.
"Four commissioners have held virtual meetings with the top district administration and police officials. The commissioners have asked them to maintain law and order and make sure that the election is held smoothly," he said.
"We are maintaining close communication with DCs and SPs over the polls situation," Ashok said.
A total of 217 candidates are running for mayor at the 55 municipalities. The number of candidates for general councillor posts and those for the reserved seats for women are 2,070 and 618 respectively.
About 16.67 lakh people are enlisted as voters in today's polls.
Ruling AL mayor candidates have clinched sweeping victories in the first, second and third phases. AL contenders achieved success in 18 municipalities out of 24 in the first phase, 45 out 60 municipalities in the second and won 46 out of 63 municipalities in the third phase.
Elections to 31 municipalities will be held in the fifth phase on February 28. EVMs will be used in all the centres then.
CLASH
At least five people were injured as supporters of AL and BNP mayor candidates clashed and exploded crude bombs in Rajshahi's Charghat yesterday.
Around 11:00am, some BNP men were hanging posters of party candidate Zakirul Islam in Charghat Bazar area. Some AL men chased them away, said Officer-in-Charge of Charghat Police Station Zahangir Alam.
Minutes later, Zakirul's supporters regrouped and brought out a procession in the area where AL supporters had already taken position with many armed with locally-made weapons, said police and witnesses.
Both the groups exploded several crude bombs and threw brickbats at each other, reports our staff correspondent in Rajshahi.
Police fired teargas, dispersed the crowd and brought the situation under control, said the OC.
THE REMARKS
On Wednesday, Nur Uddin Chowdhury Nayan, general secretary of Lakshmipur district AL, asked voters to cast ballots in public for the party's mayoral candidate in today's Ramgati municipality polls.
Delwar Hossain, president of Chuadanga's Alamdanga municipality AL, asked party men to bar voters, who would not cast their ballots for the AL candidate, from going to polling centres.
The AL leader was seen giving the directive to his party men in a video clip that went viral on social media on Tuesday.
Besides, Mahila Awami League General Secretary Mahmuda Begum, while campaigning in support of party nominated mayor candidate Anjuman Ara Begum in Thakurgaon municipality, said people who love "sheaf of paddy" (electoral symbol of the BNP) do not need to go to polling centres on February 14.
Only the supporters of "boat", the electoral symbol of the AL, will go to the centres, she added.
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