& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Snapshots from city polling centres

Star Report
At Aliganj Government Primary School centre, six out of 22 polling officials did not turn up: at Faridabad centre, seven out of 13 officials were not available: at Manija Rahman Girls School centre, six out of 16 were present and at Central Women's College centre, eight out of 22 were absent.
Generally, the polling agents of candidates, except tng those of the BNP candi dates were hot present Polling officials said that they received documents for the polling agents of the BNP from Election Commission offices
Secrecy of voting was not seen to be maintained and ballot boxes were found here and there in the booths at some centres.
One Mohammad Sentu. claiming himself to be the polling agent of an Indepen dent candidate, could not
From Page 1 even name his candidate when asked by The Daily Star mobile team at the Dhaka City College centre.
The Dally Star engaged three’mobile teama of reporters who visited 30 polling stations in the capital during the polling.
They started visiting polling centres both in the old and new parts of the city as voting began. Some centres on the outskirts of the city were also covered.
Some of the centres were visited more than once to have a first hand information on what happened when people went there to caat votes.
During the day-long viait. The Daily Star teams generally found that voters turn out at these centres was very poor.
Stufffrig of ballot boxes with ballot papers and underage voting were seen rampant In the afternoon. Gross violation of polling rules and helplessness of polling officials at some of the centres were also observed. Unsealed ballot boxes were seen in a number of booths.
Violation of rules such as campaigning inside the polling stations, repeated voting by the same persons, non-marking of the thumbs of voters, postering inside polling centres, taking ballot papers out of the centres were typical of the scenes at the polling centres.
Govt Titumir GpUege
A group of' youths was found stuffing ballot-papers into ballot boxes at the Presiding Officer's (PO) room at the Government Titumir College centre in the city yesterday. The door of outer entrance of the PO's room were shut.
The grim-faced Presiding Officer (PO). seated at the corner of the adjacent room, was. seen putting his signatures on tiie ballot papers produced before him by the youths.
A three-member mobile reporting team of The Daily Star witnessed this while visiting the polling centre at Mohakhali under Gulshan thana at 3 pm.
The PO repeatedly requested The Dally Star reporters to leave the place and in a low voice said, "I'm in trouble and under tremendous pressure".
Avoiding questions from the correspondents, he said, "Do whatever you think best for me”
When he was asked about the turnout of voters in his centre one Of the youths asked the PO to say, "It would tie some 60 per cent."
The youths, who identified themselves as voters, became angry when the reporters team entered the presiding officer’s room where they were sitting around several tables put together and stamping the ballot-papers and stuffing those into ballot boxes.
"Where have you come from? Why have you entered this room"' Whom do you want?", shouted one while another pointed his finger at the adjacent room and said. "Leave this room. The Presiding Officer is there."
Earlier, an assistant pre- ■ siding officer, who was cnat-ting with his colleagues, told correspondents that the presiding officer was not available. Asked about the PO's whereabouts, he suggested a search around.
The Daily Star newsmen, guided by another polling official. however managed to Set into the PO's room irough the connecting door from the adjacent room, the main door of which was found shut, but hot locked.
Later, the reporters rushed to the Gulshan police station to Inform the Titumir College Incidents.
Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Police, Ashraf, on hearing the incidents picked up his telephone and said, "See what action I take". The reporters then left.
While contacted again at night, the AC was not available at the Gulshan thana. A duty officer said. We can't take any action unless the Presiding Officer concerned
lodges a formal complaint
The Election Commission was also Informed of the Tl lumtr College incident but till late night, none could say whether any action was taken.
Central Women's
College
Pintu, who claimed to be a student of class VIII had to return from the Central Women's College centre at Gopibagh in the city after The Daily Star reporters challenged him.
Pintu. aged about 14. admitted that he had cast vote once and returned to the centre for voting again.
He was whisked away by his companions when the Presiding Officer, being in formed of the Incident by the newsmen, made a search for the boy.
The Daily Star reporters also found that some of the voters were getting into the polling booths In a group, taking ballot papers, stamp and Ink of their own and dropping the ballots into boxes, not sealed and kept open near the entrance.
When his attention was drawn to the incidents, the Presiding Officer. Nazrul Islam Bhuiyan, got perplexed and took refuge in his room avoiding the Journalists. He only said, "Government officials have limitations... please come tomorrow."
Earlier when asked he said that eight out of 22 officials were absent from polls duties at his centre.
Monjja Rahman Girls High School
The helpless PO at the Monija Rahman Girls High School at Gendaria in the old part of the city, when asked about the voting said. "You yourself see the free style voting here."
JQnly six out of 16 officials tutted up for their duties." said Shaiifuddin Ahmed, the PO.
Some youths were seen campaigning inside the centre when the reporters visited it around 12:20 pm.
General Scenario
During the day-long visit, the mobile team generally found that the polling officials were not available in a reasonable strength to manage the elections.
The mobile unit of The Daily Star visited polling centres during the day which included Aliganj Government Primary School, under Fatul-lah thana, Bakchar Ideal High School, under Demra thana, Faridabad High School under Sutrapur thana and City College under Dhanmondi thana.
In Aliganj Government Primary School 6 out of 22 polling officers did not turn up, while in Faridabad 7 out of 13 officials were not available. in Manija Rahman Girl's School 6 out of 16 were present and In Central Women's
College 8 out of 22 were absent.
Generally the polling agents of candidates excepting the BNP candidates were not present. The polling officials complained that they received documents for the polling agents of the BNP from the Election Commission offices.
The secrecy of balloting was not seen to be maintained. ballot boxes were found here and there of the booth.
One Mohammad Sentu claiming himself as the polling agent of an independent candidate could not even name his candidate when answering the questions of The Dally Star mobile team at the centre of Dhaka City College.
Voters' Comments
Arts Building Centre, DU
Only one voter, out of 1998 registered with the Arts Building Centre at Dhaka University, cast his vote till 11 am.
However at about 11:35 am. a group of 10 to 12 youths arrived and after that the number of votes cast Increased to 500.
At 3:30 pm. half an hour before the closing time, number of votes cast was only 510.
When the Presiding Offi-
cer was asked about the rate of vote cast, he replied. "You are observing everything. So. why are you asking me how these votes sre cast? If you want, you can also cast a vote."
Udayan school centre
Twentyfive votes out of 5263 registered were cast at the Udayan School centre till 3:45 pm. according to the presiding officer.
The presiding officer told The Daily Star correspondents. "we have nothing to do here. You have come from a newspaper. Why did you not bring a newspaper with you?"
University Lab School and College
Till 3:30 pm 1500 votes were cast at the University Laboratory School and College. Most of the voters were from nearby slums, according to witnesses. Some 5400 vot ers were registered with the centre.
The presiding officer was not present. Some youths were seen in the centre during most of the voting time, the witnesses claimed.
City CoDege Centre
A total of 245 votes out of 427,3 registered cast their votes at the City College centre till closing time, according to the presiding officer.
When two correspondents of The Daily Star visited the centre at 4:28 pm. the ballot papers had already been counted.