Pre-polls violence and inclement weather 'deterred a larger voter turnout in some constituencies during tile September 5 by-elections. Said a FEMA post-election statement.

FEMA. with its 1.200 Observers deployed for the by-elections th 15 constituencies in 11 districts, witnessed satisfactory voter turnout in almost all the constituencies, except in SiraJ-ganj—1. Pirojpur-2. Sylhet-4. Laxmipur-2 and in two Chittagong constituencies, the statement said.

In Sylhet-4, voter turnout was much lower due to inclement weather and floods, while in Laxmipur-2, the low turnout of women voters was attributed to intimidation by political party workers during campaigning and exploding of crackers the night before vot ing. Voter turnout In Sylhet-4 was roughly estimated at 35 per cent while in SlraJganJ 1 and Piroipur-2 at 45 per cent

Female voters in Laxmipur 2 were also prevented from going to polling stations. In Son apur UP Community Centre, women in three rickshaws were stopped from going to the centre and at one point, their rick shaws were overturned. FEMA stated

In Uttar Kanchan Nagar Govt Primary School centre tn Chittagong-13. some voters, mainly women, could not vote because of confusion tn the voters list .' In Pasc him Dharma-pur Primary School centre in the same constituency ihe au thorities supplied inadequate ballot papers and other materials. In Centre-63, adequate arrangements were not made for voting in secret compartment. In Laxmipur-2. at Centre-48. FEMA observers witnessed that the polling officials were not applying Indelible ink on the fingers of some voters, the FEMA statement alleged.

In Laxrmfiur. some security personnel prevented FEMA election observers from discharging their responsibilities, it was alleged. A special mobile

observers' team, which included the secretary general of FEMA National Committee, president ol FEMA Laxmipur Committee -anti Other FEMA officials, was intercepted by securitymen at about 9.25 am and all of them were held up unlawfully for more than two hours, the statement said.

In some places, security personnel were seen checking iden tification of the voters near the polling centres, while in other places they were found inside the polling centres inspecting the conduct of polling. FEMA said that this was an undesirable and unhealthy sign.

The FEMA statement said tarring some irregularities In a number constituencies, the by-election was conducted sat isfactorily and fairly FEMA will Issue a comprehensive re port later, it said