Fair Election Monitoring Alliance (FEMA). has said that voters were prevented from coming to a number of polling stations by militant activists of rival parties during the Pabna-2 by-polls on Thursday.

The FEMA report released yesterday however mentioned that the overall situaUon surrounding the election appeared ■fairly satisfactory".

FEMA. a coalition for monitoring elections in the country, said. "Some voters were prevented from casting their votes through intimidation and acts of violence or by obstruction."

It also confirmed reports of bomb blasts at several places including Bonkhula High School. Knatupara Government High School. Satbarta High School and Tarabaria Govt. Primary School polling centres to scare away voters.

"The impression that the atmosphere was charged and a feeling of insecurity prevailed among certain sections of the people could not be ignored" FEMA commented in its report.FEMA said that other irregularities and Improprieties were also found such as faulty voter lists which prevented a number of voters from exercising their franchise.

"FEMA found suspicious movement and activities on the part of certain activities of certain political party which would seem to lend substance to reports that the voting was being manipulated." it said without giving any further details.

The coalition reported 'medium to heavy turn out of voters" and said that the presence of female voters was low.

FEMA also observed that the pre-poll situation in the constituency was marked by allegation . ' gross violation of election laws. rules and regulations as well as serious incidents of violence. Intimidation and exercise of undue Influence.

Observers in all 81 polling centres were posted by FEMA . while five of its mobile teams comprising of members of its district and national committees inspected a large number of polling stations to oversee and check the progress in vote casting and. where relevant, verify allegations of fraud and irregularities, the report stated.

FEMA will investigate and document its findings in subsequent reports, the statement added.