As the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh goes in full swing, violence and voter issues grip several polling centres in the country.
As the parliamentary elections in
Bangladesh goes in full swing, violence and voter issues grip several polling centres in the country. While the voting was underway, a
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader was killed during an altercation with
Jamaat-e-Islami activists outside a polling centre in Khulna.
The BNP said that the politician, identified as Mohibuzzaman Kochi, 55, was a former office secretary of the
Khulna city unit of the BNP. According to BD News, the incident took place at 8:10 am (local time) on Thursday at the Alia Madrasah polling station in Khulna Sadar.
“There was tension at the Alia Madrasah polling station since the morning. The principal of Alia Madrasa was campaigning for the Jamaat there,” said former organising secretary of Khulna Sadar Thana BNP Yusuf Harun Majnu. “When he was obstructed, he pushed Mohibuzzaman Kochi. He struck a tree and hit his head. That is why he died.”
Meanwhile, in the capital, some voters also claimed that they were unable to vote due to discrepancies.
Minor errors prevent voting
According to a report by Prothom Alo, voters have been facing issues at the women’s polling centre at Dhanmondi Government Girls’ School in
Dhaka.
Discrepancies were found between voter numbers and the corresponding names and photographs on the voter list. As per the outlet, by around 8:15 am (local time), eight voters had approached the presiding officer at the centre to report the issue. However, the presiding officer was unable to offer a solution, reflecting the struggles of resolving the grievances.
While speaking to Prothom Alo, Nur Hossain, the presiding officer of the polling station, insisted that not everyone is facing the issue, but some discrepancies had been detected. He noted that voting was not allowed if details were not matched.
Awami League alleged electoral malpractice
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh,
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, alleged electoral malpractices way before the polling began. In a lengthy post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the party alleged that ballot papers are being stamped at polling stations even before the people come to vote.
Awami League alleged that polling stations are being seized before the voting begins. The party claimed that electoral malpractices are being conducted in the Ward 43 polling station in Dhaka 6. “In Ward 43 of Dhaka-6, the Jubilee School and College polling centre was reportedly occupied in advance. While citizens remain absent, ballot papers are allegedly being stamped and boxes filled under the cover of darkness,” the party wrote in a post on X.
In a separate video, Hasina’s party alleged that blank result sheets are being signed before voting began. According to Bangladesh’s electoral rules, presiding officers are required to sign official result sheets after the voting process has been concluded and the ballots have been counted.
“However, a video circulating online allegedly shows a presiding officer signing a blank result sheet inside a polling booth on the night before voting was due to begin. The footage is said to be from Barguna-1 constituency, at the Gagan School polling centre,” the party wrote in a separate post.
After the interim government, led by
Muhammad Yunus, took over, Hasina’s party was barred from contesting the polls. Critics called out the ban, questioning the integrity of the elections without one of Bangladesh’s largest parties contesting in it.
Jamaat leader detained for bribery
A day ahead of the polling, Jamaat leader
Habibur Rahman Helali was detained by locals in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla on allegations of distributing cash among voters. A mobile court in the area took him to the police station after being informed.
The authorities told local reporters that Tk 200,000 in cash was recovered from him. However, local Jamaat leaders claimed the incident was a “conspiracy” against the party. As per the report, Helali was distributing cash in the Niamat Kandi area of Saliakandi union in the upazila on Wednesday morning. He was detained and taken to the police station by noon.
Upazila executive magistrate and assistant commissioner of land, Sakib Hasan Khan, rushed to the spot after the incident was reported. After being detained, Helali denied the allegation and claimed he did not have that amount of money with him. He alleged that BNP men had planted the additional money in his vehicle to frame him.
Overall, these instances reveal how chaos continues to simmer during the Bangladesh elections.
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