Six people have died at polling centres in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Manikganj, Brahmanbaria and Gaibandha during voting in the general election and referendum, reports bdnews24.com.
Five of them died after falling sick while one died after allegedly being pushed during a scuffle.
BRAHMANBARIA
A polling official died while on duty at a voting centre in Sarail Upazila.
Mujahidul Islam, 48, had been performing duties at the Nazrul Islam Auditorium centre (Centre No. 51) since Thursday morning. Around 9am, he suddenly fell ill. Colleagues rushed him to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead.
Sarail Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Mohammad Nizam Uddin said doctors suspect he died of a brain haemorrhage.
KHULNA
A BNP leader died during an altercation with Jamaat activists outside a polling centre in Khulna.
The BNP alleged that he died after being pushed by a Jamaat leader and hitting a tree. Jamaat leaders, however, said he became ill amid the tension.
The dead man, 55-year-old Mohibuzzaman Kochi, was a former office secretary of Khulna BNP. He lived on Haji Mohsin Road By-lane in the city.
The incident occurred around 8:10am at the Alia Madrasa polling centre in Khulna Sadar.
SI Khan Faisal Rafi of Sadar Police Station, who was on duty at the centre, said: "In the morning, tension simmered between BNP and Jamaat supporters near the Alia Madrasa centre. We went to the spot and dispersed both sides.
"We saw a man being taken away by an auto-rickshaw. There was no pushing or brawl there."
MANIKGANJ
An elderly man died after going to cast his vote in Mahadebpur under Manikganj-1 constituency.
Presiding Officer Faisal Ahmed said the 65-year-old Babu Mia died around 11:30am in front of the Mahadebpur Government Primary School centre in Shibalaya Upazila.
Babu Mia, son of Hamed Mia, was a resident of Mahadebpur village.
Witnesses said he collapsed from dizziness while entering the centre after collecting his voter slip. He died before he was taken to hospital.
His son Raju Mia said: "My father died of a stroke while going to vote."
CHATTOGRAM
A 62-year-old man died after collapsing while attempting to vote at a polling station in Chattogram.
Md Monu Mia fell ill around 7:35am on Thursday at the Kazir Dewri Government Primary School centre, in the Chattogram-9 constituency.
His son, Shakil, said he had been standing in line to cast his ballot when he suddenly collapsed before entering the voting room.
"He went in the morning to vote and was waiting in the queue. Before he could go inside, he fell," Shakil said.
He was taken to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Family members said doctors told them he had suffered a heart attack.
Presiding Officer Faruk Ahmed said the man became unwell after arriving at the centre and was taken to the hospital.
GAIBANDHA
An elderly man died after falling sick on his way home from voting in Saghata Upazila.
Presiding Officer Zahurul Islam said the incident occurred around 12:30pm near the Osmanerpara Government Primary School centre.
The dead voter, Bashed Ali, was a farmer from Middle Osmanerpara village.
Locals said he suddenly fell ill and collapsed after leaving the centre. He died on the way to the Upazila health complex.
Saghata Upazila administrator (UNO) and Assistant Returning Officer Ashraful Kabir said, "We have received news of the elderly man's death. It appears to be a natural death."
DHAKA
A voter died after falling ill on the stairs while going to cast his ballot at Agradut Bidya Niketan in Jatrabari.
The dead voter was identified as Ali Abu Sayeed Sarker, 53.
His wife, Priti Islam Parveen, said he was a retired marine engineer who had been suffering from heart disease and had previously suffered a stroke. He was under medical advice.
She said, "In the morning, he locked the door leaving me asleep and went to vote with our younger son. He became unconscious on the school building stairs. Doctors later declared him dead at the hospital."
Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, said he was brought to the hospital at 9:50am by his son Faisal Ishraq and others, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Abu Sayeed is survived by two sons. He lived with his family in Maniknagar, Dhaka. His ancestral home is in Nakalia village under Bera Police Station in Pabna.
