UZ polls marred by rigging, capturing polling centres

So far a total of 20 chairman candidates were elected unofficially, as vote count was continuing after the election held in 73 upazilas under 35 districts across the country Monday in the fifth phase.

According to unofficial results available from different districts till filing this report at about 10:00 pm, Awami League-backed candidates won in 14 upazilas, BNP-backed candidates in five upazilas and a Jamaat-backed contest in one upazila.

UNB adds: The fifth phase upazila elections experienced less violence unlike the previous two phases, but Monday's polls were allegedly marred by vote rigging, capturing polling centres and casting fake votes in many places.

Twenty-two chairman candidates, mostly BNP-backed ones, boycotted the upazila (UZ) elections in nine districts on Monday on various allegations.

In Barguna, all candidates except the Awami League (AL)-backed ones, boycotted polls in three upazilas alleging that the supporters of the ruling party candidates obstructed their supporters from casting votes, forced their agents out of some polling centres and also cast fake votes.

They are BNP-blessed Jalal Ahmed Fakir, AL rebels Shamsuddin Ahmed Saju and Advocate Abdul Kalam Shanu, and independent candidate Salauddin Talukder in Amtali upazila, BNP-backed Abdul Kalam Azad Rana and party rebel Syed Manjurur Rob Mortuza Ahsan in Bamna and Habibur Rahman of BNP in Patharghata.

In Satkhira, three BNP-backed candidates -- Badruzzaman Moral in Tala, Abdur Rauf in Sadar and Mohiuddin Siddique in Debhata -- announced their polls boycott on the same allegations.

Meanwhile, local Jamaat-e-Islami on the day called a daylong hartal in the three upazilas for today (Tuesday) on charge of stuffing ballot boxes with sealed ballot papers beforehand, driving the agents of the BNP-backed candidates from the polling centres and obstructing voters from going to the stations.