Jubo League leader held while snatching ballot box

Supporters of AL-backed candidate Shawkat Hossain Hiron beat a rival activist in front of Chohutpur LM High School polling centre during the city corporation elections in Barisal on Saturday. Photo: Arifur Rahman

A mobile court arrested a Jubo League leader while he along with his party colleagues was trying to snatch away a ballot box from a polling centre minutes after the voting ended in Barisal city corporation elections Saturday afternoon.

After the arrest, Shahin, a joint convener of Barisal city Jubo League, youth wing of the ruling Awami League, was taken to Kaunia Police Station, reports our correspondent.

A group of Jubo League men, under the nose of law enforcers, assaulted the BNP supporters and agents after voting ended in Diapara Govt Primary School polling centre at Ward No. 27, witnesses said.

The ruling party supporters also confined the presiding and the assistant presiding officers to the centre.

Both the officials remained confined till 5:30pm while the report was filed.

The ruling party supporters chased journalists when they tried to enter the centre.

Talking to The Daily Star, Awami League leader Balaram Poddar who is also a close associate to the ruling party backed mayor candidate Shawkat Hossain Hiron said the ruling party men staged protests at different poling centres as most presiding and assistant presiding officers were loyal to BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.