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Polls in 13 Upazilas

AL 7, BNP 5

AL rebel candidate wins one; rigging, violence in 5 upazilas

Star Report
The ruling Awami League-backed chairman aspirants won in seven upazilas, while the BNP favourites came out victorious in five in yesterday's upazila polls.
However, the chairman post in the other upazila went to an AL rebel, according to unofficial results declared by the returning officers.
Stray incidents of violence, vote rigging, stuffing of ballots and capturing of polling centres by the AL men were reported in at least five upazilas out of 13 that went to the polls.
At least 25 people were injured in the violence and 11 were arrested over creating violence and casting fake votes in different upazilas.
The Election Commission has postponed voting in two polling centres and cancelled it in one due to violence and vote rigging, said Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.
“According to reports by our officials, polling in the remaining areas was fair and peaceful," the CEC told a press conference at the EC's media centre last evening.
After lagging behind in the first phase of the upazila polls, AL men resorted to violence and vote rigging in the next phases. Yet chairman candidates backed by the AL were trailing in the polls till the end of the third phase. With the fourth phase over, the party's favourites took the lead from rival BNP-backed candidates.
Although the scale of violence and irregularities was
FROM PAGE 16 comparatively less yesterday than in the previous phases, turnout of voters was very low.
There were hardly any long queues of voters at the polling centres. Many centres were empty most of the time during the polling hours (8:00am to 4:00pm), report our correspondents.
The turnout rate was not available from the EC till last night. However, our correspondents suggested that the rate might be between 25 and 45 percent in different upazilas.
Earlier, elections to 459 upazilas across the country were held in five phases from February 19 to March 31.
The turnout rate was around 62.44 percent in the first phase, 63.31 percent in the second, 63.52 in the third, 56.12 in the fourth and 60.89 in the fifth phase.
POLLING SCENARIO
At least 25 people were injured in eight incidents of clashes between supporters of the AL and BNP-Jamaat in two upazilas ofComilla.
BNP-backed chairman candidate Fazlul Haque in Adarsha Sadar upazila demanded a recount in 30 polling centres. At least 10 people were arrested for casting false votes in the upazila.
In Rajbari, the AL's rebel chairman candidate Noor-e-Alam Siddique Khan and BNP-backed candidate Abdur Razzak Khan alleged that AL favourite Kazi Saiftil Islam and his associates forced their polling agents to get out of the booths in many pollingstations.
Besides, chase and counter-chase took place in at least two polling centres between the supporters of the three candidates.
In Bijoynagar upazila of Brahmanbaria, BNP-backed chairman aspirant Shariful Islam Liton and independent candidate Shaheed Siraji boycotted the polls, raising allegations of vote rigging and capturing of at least six polling centres by AL men.
In Sirajganj, pro-BNP candidate Abdul Aziz Sarker boycotted the polls in Kamarkhanda upazila protesting
alleged vote rigging by AL men. Interestingly, he made the announcement half an hour after the voting ended.
One was arrested while casting fake votes at the Jamtoil Model Govt Primary School polling centre.
In Barguna, two pro-BNP chairman aspirants, Abdul Majid Talukder and Farhad Hossain Akkas Mridha, boycotted the polls in Taltoli upazila, bringing similar allegations against ruling AL men.
The two also complained that some AL men beat up two voters as they refused to cast votes in the open.
In Rangpur, police detained pro-BNP chairman candidate Masud Rana and one of his associates in Rangpur Sadar upazila for violating the electoral code of conduct. However, the two were freed later.
Meanwhile, election observer group Bortee in its initial report last night said yesterday's polls were marked by violence, capturing of polling centres, casting fake votes, and stuffing of ballots.
A private television channel reported that police constable Hasan died and five more cops were injured when a pick up van carrying ballots fell into a roadside ditch at Pachthubi area under Comilla Sadar upazila last evening.
THE WINNERS
The AL-backed winners for the chairman post are Abdur Rouf in Adarsha Sadar upazila of Comilla, Golam Sarwar in Dakkhin Sadar upazila of Comilla, Tanvir Bhuiyan in Bijoynagar upazila of Brahmanbaria, Kazi Saiftil Islam in Kalukhali upazila of Rajbari, Moniruzzaman Mintu in Taltoli upazila of Barguna, Abdul Matin Chowdhury in Kamarkhanda upazila of Sirajganj and Nasima Zaman Boby in Rangpur Sadar upazila.
BNP favourite winners are Motahar Hossain Talukder inTarakanda upazila of Mymensingh, Ezadur Rahman Milon in Sadar upazila of Gazipur, Kazi Shahidul Islam in Bashail upazila of Tangail, Afsar Ali in Pirgachha upazila of Rangpur and Mahfuzar
Rahman Mithu in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur.
AL rebel Asaduzzaman Bablu won in Cangachara upazila of Rangpur.
(Our correspondents in Camilla, Rajbari, Brahmanbaria, Sirajganj, Barguna and Rangpur contributed to this report)