Tension ahead of Oct 31poll at a union centre

A tense situation is prevailing in ward No 8 of Dhanisafa union of Mathbaria upazila under the district ahead of the October 31 voting at a centre, against the backdrop of the bloody incident in the union parishad polls held on March 22 this year.

Five men were killed and several others injured as law enforcers opened fire to tackle the riotous situation after cancellation of 746 faulty votes cast in favour of Awami League (AL) nominated candidate Harun Or Rashid at the centre.

Finally the result of the polling centre at Uttor Patakata Government Primary School in ward No 8 of Dhanisafa union was declared cancelled.

Voting will be held on October 31 at the centre, along with 11 other centres of ten unions in the district, where the polls were earlier postponed, Pirojpur election office sources said.

As many as 1,554 voters will cast their vote at the centre for the decisive result about the chairmanship at the union where independent candidate Rafikul Islam Akon is ahead of AL candidate Harun Or Rashid by 128 votes.

During this correspondent's visit to the ward a couple of days ago, locals expressed anxiety.

"Harun's men are everywhere. He is visiting our area to woo voters almost daily. If anyone says no, he faces threat and harassment," said an elderly man seeking anonymity.

Akon alleged that Harun's men are disturbing his men in different ways while Harun refuted the allegation and claimed that there is no trouble in the area.

Mathbaria Upazila Election Officer Md Mahfuzur Rahman, also the returning officer for Dhanisafa union, said they will take adequate measures for peaceful voting there.