AL candidate wins Kanchan polls

Amid allegations of rigging and irregularities, Awami League candidate Rafiqul Islam won the election to the Kanchan municipality in Narayanganj yesterday.

Rafiqul became the municipality mayor by bagging 16,282 votes while his nearest contestant BNP-linked independent candidate Dewan Abul Bashar got 6,947 votes, said Assistant Returning Officer Mahbubur Rahman.

Around 35,680 voters exercised their franchise to elect mayor of the municipality and nine ward councillors, he added. Four candidates contested for the mayor position.

Though the election was held peacefully, it was marked by irregularities such as polling officials and agents instructing voters to vote for the AL candidate in the name of helping voters.

Many elderlies, women and lower-educated people alleged that they faced difficulties in using Electronic Voting Machine although the Election Commission held mock voting ahead of the election.

Dewan Abul Bashar alleged that the election was marked by rigging. Assistant Returning officer Mahbubur, however, refuted the allegations saying the election was held in a free and fair manner.

Four correspondents of this newspaper visited 16 out of 18 polling centres. In all centres, supporters of AL’s Rafiqul Islam were seen showing their supremacy. They also distributed leaflets and sought vote for Rafiqul.

Voters alleged that these activities created a sense of insecurity among them.

Asked, Rafiqul said voting was held in a peaceful manner. “There was no irregularity or influence,” he claimed.

Correspondents at least on five occasions at various centres found polling officials and polling agents of the AL candidate casting vote for the ruling party candidate inside the secret chamber, where only voters are allowed.

A polling official named Jahangir was found instructing voters to vote for the AL candidate at the secret ballot room of Birabo Government Primary School. He was accompanied by two others, who were wearing badges of AL’s electoral symbol “boat”.

Asked, Jahangir said he was helping voters cast votes through EVM.

Upon notification, Presiding Officer Nuruddin Miah asked Jahangir to leave.

People wearing badges and T-shirts inscribed with photos of “boat” and the AL candidate were found inside all the centres. They were entering polling booths randomly.

Presiding officers of at least three centres including Mohammad Solaiman of Kendua Government Primary School said they are taking action against those people.

Long queues formed in front of polling centres since morning, with notable presence of female voters.

Asked about irregularities, ARO Mahbubur Rahman said, “We are not aware of any such incident. Action will be taken if anyone files a complaint.”

BY-POLLS, UP ELECTIONS

By-election to West Bakalia ward in Chattogram city was held peacefully yesterday.

Independent candidate Kamrul Hasan Mandal in the by-election for chairman of Kauriyad union in Sreepur upazila alleged that supporters of AL candidate Aziz Ahmed forced others to leave the polling stations, reports our Gazipur correspondent. Aziz refuted the allegation.

Elections to six union parishads were held yesterday.