93 of 173 centres in Bogra 'risky'

Ninety-three polling centres out of 173 in 19 unions under three upazilas of the district have been marked as 'risky' by the district administration.

The fifth phase of the union parishad elections will be held on May 28. A total of 3,62, 267 voters of the unions will choose their representatives in the elections.

A District Special Branch (DSB) source said of the 'risky' centres, 50 are in eight unions of Kahaloo upazila, 22 in six unions of Adamdighi upazila, and 21 in five unions of Dupchanchia upazila.

Four-tier security measures have been taken in the polling centres for holding the elections in a free and fair manner. Four armed police and 17 Ansar personnel will be deployed in each centre, he added.

In Kahaloo Sadar union, a female voter of Khajlal area said the men of AL-nominated candidate Enamul Haque Mithu and former chairman of the union and independent candidate PM Belal Uddin Pramanik have been seeking votes in favour of their respective candidates and putting pressure on the voters.

Another voter of Paikor union under the same upazila said supporters of the candidates, equipped with sticks, have been moving around in the area on motorbikes.

Supporters of an independent aspirant said their candidate cannot campaign as ruling party men are trying to subdue their opponents.

Abdul Mannan, a chairman aspirant of BNP in Kahaloo Sadar union, said they cannot conduct their campaign smoothly.

Contacted, PM Belal Uddin Pramanik, a former chairman of Sadar union, also upazila Jubo League president, said he sought security from the law-enforcers.   

Contacted, Gaziur Rahman, senior assistant superintendent of police (B Circle and Media) of Bogra, said 200 BGB and 72 Rab personnel will be deployed in the three upazilas during the voting. A hundred police personnel will be on stand-by for any emergency in addition to mobile team, striking force and a mobile court.

In Munshiganj, at least 10 people were injured, six by bullets, in a clash between the supporters of two chairman candidates of Mollakandi Union Parishad in Sadar upazila  yesterday, reports UNB.

Yunus Ali, officer-in-charge of Munshiganj Sadar Police Station, said the supporters of Awami League-nominated chairman candidate Ripon Patwari and independent aspirant Mohsina Hoque locked in a clash over the UP election scheduled to be held on May 28.

Six people sustained bullet injures during the clash, the OC added.

Two of the injured were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.