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Earlier in the morning, a mobile court led by an executive magistrate removed at least 60 men who made fake lines in front of the Curzon Hall centres. However, they returned soon after the magistrate left.

At around 9am, eight agents of BNP were threatened and asked to leave polling stations at Curzon Hall and Udayan School, alleged convener of DU white panel teachers, Prof ABM Obaidul Islam.

“The situation of other four centres I have visited so far are the same,” he said around 10am.

Later, the pro-BNP teachers submitted a written complaint to the presiding officer of University Laboratory School centre, said Prof Obaidul. He alleged that BNP agents were not allowed at any of the centres.

Agents of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and AL were seen present at the centre since morning.

Meanwhile, voter turnout was sparse till 10am. However, the turnout saw a little rise as the day progressed.

Abdul Motaleb, presiding officer of University Laboratory School told The Daily Star that only three votes were cast at his centre till 9:40am, over an hour and a half after voting began.

Some 80 out of 2,354 votes were cast at the Buet polling centretill 12 noon, said Presiding Officer Bashudeb. This reporter, however, found the premises of the centre empty at the time.

Only 61 votes were cast out of 1,879 at Motaher Hossain building, 57 out of 2,271 at Curzon Hall, and 128 out of 2,400 at DU Gymnasium centres till 10:15 am, according to respective presiding officers.

Udyan School presiding officer said he did not see BNP agents at the polling stations, and was trying to hold the elections smoothly. Presiding officers in other centres echoed him.

Contacted about the allegations, BCL central unit president Al Nahean Khan Joy said he did not hear anything about forming of fake queues or assaulting a voter, adding that he would look into it.