UZ polls held amid grand festival of polling station capture: BNP

FE Team | Published: March 24, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

BNP alleged on Sunday that the ruling party activists with the help of local administrations indulged in massive polling station capture in 43 districts in the 4th phase of upazila (UZ) elections on the day, reports UNB.
"There was a grand festival of polling station capture. The ruling party men carried out violence and terrorist acts and captured polling stations during the elections nakedly aided by police, Rab and local administrations," said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
The BNP spokesman made the allegation at a press briefing at party's Nayapaltan central office.
Addressing the briefing, Rizvi said, "Our apprehension about vote fraud and influence of the ruling party on the elections has come true. The festive mood in which the elections were supposed to be held was missing."
Narrating the various incidents of 'election fraud' at different parts of the country by the ruling party 'cadres', he said Awami League (AL) 'cadres' captured many centres forcing out BNP-backed candidates' polling agents and attacked the opposition leaders and activists within two hours of the opening of the voting. "We condemn the heinous acts of grabbing voting centres."
The BNP leader alleged the Election Commission is turning a blind eye to the complaints lodged by the opposition backed-candidates as it is working at the behest of the government.
Though army troops have been deployed in the election areas, they lack the power to contain violence and ensure fair balloting, he added.
Another report adds: A total of 10 chairman candidates, mostly backed by BNP, boycotted the upazila elections in Bhola, Barisal, Chittagong, Pirojpur and Jessore districts on Sunday on various allegations.
In Bhola, four candidates-BNP-backed Samsuddin Bachchu Chowdhury in Manpura, Zahurul Islam Khushbu in Daulatkhan upazila and Amirul Islam Based in Tajumuddin upazila, and BNP rebel candidate Golam Mostafa Mintu in Tajumuddin-pulled themselves off election alleging that the supporters of ruling party candidates obstructed their supporters from casting votes, forced their agents out of some polling centres and also cast fake votes.
In Chittagong, BNP-backed chairman candidate Jalal Uddin Ahmed in Anwara upazila announced his election boycott from a press briefing at Kalabibir Dighi alleging that the supporters of ruling party candidates occupied 30 polling centres and forced their agents out of those.
In Barisal, AL rebel candidate Jatindra Nath Mistri of Agoiljhara upazila boycotted the election on various allegations, including vote rigging and occupying some polling centres and forcing their agents out of booths.
In Jessore, independent chairman candidate in Sadar upazila Mashuk Hasan Joy boycotted the election alleging that the supporters of AL-backed chairman candidate Shaheen Chakladar occupied 117 polling centres with the help of police and BGB forcing their agents out of the centres, snatching ballot papers and vote fraud.
In Pirojpur, three chairman candidates-Jatiya Party-backed (Manju) Mahibul Hossain in Bhandaria upazila, BNP-backed candidates Aliza Zaman in Sadar upazila and Mohammad Ruhul Amin in Mathbaria upazila-announced to boycott their election alleging vote rigging, vote fraud, capturing polling centres and forcing their agents out of the centres.