Polling agent, Shibir man killed in Shariatpur, Bagerhat

A polling agent and an activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir were killed during polls-time violence in Naria upazila of Shariapur and Bagerhat Sadar upazila today.

Ripon Majhi, 26, polling agent of an Awami League-backed vice-chairman candidate, was killed when police opened fire to stop a group of people from snatching ballot papers in Naria upazila, according to Bangla daily Prothom Alo.

Meanwhile, Manzarul Islam, 21, a sathi member of Jamaat-e-Islami's student wing Shibir, was stabbed dead in Sadar upazila of Bagerhat, reports our correspondent.

At least 40 more people including law enforcers and activists of AL, BNP, and Jamaat were also injured as violence was reported from different upazilas in Jessore, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Bagerhat districts.

SHARIATPUR

Around 2:30pm, a group of miscreants tried to snatch ballot boxes from Bhumkhara Government Primary School polling centre, according to a report on Prothom Alo online report.

Law enforcers opened fire to stop the group this time.

Ripon Majhi, who was working as a polling agent of AL-backed vice-chairman candidate Zakir Hossain, sustained bullet injuries this time and died.

Contacted, Ehsan Saha, additional superintendent of police, denied that Majhi died in police firing.

BAGERHAT

An honours second year student of Economic Department in Bagerhat Govt PC College, Manzarul Islam came under attack around 9:00am when he was going to Karapara Union Parishad Office voting centre, according to locals.

Mohammad Ali Azam Khan, officer-in-charge of Bagerhat Sadar Police Station, confirmed Islam was a Shibir activist.

He however could not ascertain immediately who killed him.

Islam hailed from Tengrakhali village in Kachua upazila of the district.

Sheikh Abdul Wadud, secretary of Bagerhat unit Jamaat-e-Islami, claimed that activists of AL killed Islam as he worked for the BNP-led 19-party alliance candidate for the upazila polls.

AL activist Rafiqul Islam, 48, and Jamaat manRamiz, 55, also sustained injuries outside the polling centre.