Paranormal turnout
A Moulvibazar polling centre reported a hundred percent turnout in Sunday's union parishad elections although the voter list included people who have died and those who were not even in the country.
The polling centre in question was the one at Bargaon Government Primary School of Rajnagar upazila's Panchgaon union.
After voting, the result sheet that the centre's presiding officer handed to the union's returning officer showed that all 1,915 votes were cast.
The Daily Star has got a copy of the result sheet and the polling centre's voter list. Scrutinising the latter, it was found that at least 83 people have died and 208 have gone abroad.
A hundred percent turnout means that everyone listed in the voter list cast a vote. But considering the number of dead and those who have gone abroad, around 15 percent of votes must have remained not cast, said locals and sources at the local election office.
Locals have raised questions over the authenticity of the result.
They said Abdul Gafur, a resident of Bahadurganj village and listed as number 13 in the voter list of the polling centre, died on August 15 last year.
"How can a dead man cast votes?" asked Jamal Mia, nephew of Abdul Gafur.
Their neighbour, Farukur Rahman, also died around three months ago. His serial number was six.
"My brother Md Kabir Miah went abroad around one year ago. His serial number was 108," said Monsur Ahmed, a resident of the same village.
Local youth Atikur Rahman said apart from the deceased and those who have gone abroad, many of the villagers also did not go to the polling station.
"So, how could cent percent votes be cast?" he asked.
As per electoral rules, a presiding officer is responsible for conducting elections in that particular polling station, while the returning officer is responsible for all polling stations in that union.
Asked, Bargaon Government Primary School polling station's Presiding Officer Rafiqul Islam admitted that the result sheet showed that the turnout was 100 percent.
"I am looking into the matter," he added.
Returning Officer Mohammad Yunus claimed that it could have been an error of a polling official who was in a hurry.
Contacted, Faruq Mahmud Chowdhury, president of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujon) in Sylhet, alleged that this may have happened due to casting of fake votes.
Elections to 838 union parishads across the country were held on Sunday as part of the fourth phase of UP polls.
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