Sporadic irregularities mark Upazila polls

Voting in the elections to 78 Upazila councils in 12 districts of the country was held on Sunday amid sporadic reports of irregularities, reports UNB.
Voting in 14 polling centres in Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Kurigram and Habiganj districts was suspended over allegations of irregularities and snatching of ballot papers.
In Sirajganj, voting at a polling centre under ward no. 1 in Sadar municipality was suspended following allegations of irregularities.
Presiding officer Anwar Hossain said voting in Mahmudpur Government Primary School centre was suspended at 2:30 am as some local influential people were forcing them to stuff ballot boxes at night.
Following a written complaint by the presiding officer, district returning officer Abdul Hossain and executive magistrate Mohammad RahmatUllah visited the centre and suspended the voting.
Meanwhile, presiding officer Anwar Hosain and two assistant presiding officers- Abdul Alim and BelalHossain-were detained for interrogation. In Habiganj, voting at a polling station of Azmirigang upazila was suspended for snatching ballot papers by some miscreants.
Presiding officer Mohitush Sutradhar said around 100 people attacked Paschimbagh Government School polling centre and snatched 163 ballot papers. Later, the authorities suspended the balloting.
Besides, voting at Shahpur government Primary School centre was suspended in Baniachong upazila following a clash around 11am.