Polling Centres at DU

BCL men follow ‘occupy, control’ instructions

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists seemed to have taken Awami League presidium member Abdur Rahman’s instruction of “occupying and controlling” polling centres seriously, as members of the ruling party’s student wing were seen in large numbers at seven centres inside Dhaka University (DU) campus.

The BCL men made fake queues in front of different centres to create the illusion of a high voter turnout, beat up a voter for casting vote for BNP’s electoral symbol “sheaf of paddy”, and allegedly forced BNP agents stationed at the polling centres out during the elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) yesterday.

This correspondent visited seven polling centres including Curzon Hall, University Laboratory School, Qazi Motahar Hossain Bhaban, DU Gymnasium, Public Library, Udayan School and Buet from 8am to 3pm.

Among these, this correspondent was barred from entering polling rooms of six centres by law enforcers, and was allowed to enter only the polling rooms of the Public Library centre.

Police and Ansar personnel said no journalist can be let into the rooms without permission. Later, presiding officers of the centres came out of their rooms and spoke to the newspaper, but did not allow him in.

Around 10:15am, a 35-year-old man was heading out from the booth after casting his vote from Curzon Hall centre.

A group of Chhatra League activists of DU, enquired the man symbol he voted for, and beat him up as the latter answered that he voted for “sheaf of paddy”.

The voter could not be contacted following the incident, as he ran to safety after he was beaten up by the youths, saw this correspondent.

The attackers had taken position near the centre in the morning, and were asking each person who they voted for as they were leaving the centre. One of the attackers was heard saying, “Beat him up. He is a BNP man.”

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