A UP chairman and his supporters beat up a police and a local correspondent of Manabzamin newspaper at a centre in Munshiganj's Gozaria upazila when the voting is underway. The incident happened at about 9:15am yesterday at Bhobanipur Primary School polling centre under Hosendi Union. According to the eyewitnesses, Hosendi UP chairman Monirul Haque Mithu, also a supporter of upazila Awami League president Amirul Haque, and Mithu's followers beat up a police outside of a polling station as he asked them not to gather there
. When local correspondent Golzar Hossain tried to took a snap of the incident, they also beat him up, snatched away his camera. Golzar Hossain alleged that Mithu and his supporters broke down his camera and deleted the video of the incident. After the incident, UP chairman Mithu alongwith his followers entered the centre and threatened to cut down hands of the journalists. Meanwhile, the police arrested four persons, including a presiding officer, in Sunamganj's Sullah upazila early Wednesday while distributing money on behalf of chairman candidate Aboni Mohan Das. The incident happened some hours before the first phase of upazila parishad election. Around 2am, police detained assistant presiding officer Opu Chandra Das and three others red-handed while distributing money among voters. Mohammad Alamgir Hossain, the district election officer and Dirai-Sullah upazila returning officer, confirmed this. The detained three others are Motabbir Hossain, Abdus Shahid and Abdul Khaleq. The are under police custody, Alamgir Hossain added. He said that a new officer has been appointed in place of the detained presiding officer.
On the other hand, the Detective Branch (DB) of police held the Bhangabari Union Parishad chairman over allegations of distributing money among voters at a polling centre in Sirajganj's Belkuchi. The accused, Zahurul Islam, was held at the Tamai Paschimpara Government Primary School Centre in Bhangabari union on Wednesday. At this time, police seized Tk94,000 in cash from Zahurul. Sirajganj DB Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Zulhaj Uddin said: "The UP chairman was distributing cash among the voters. He was caught red-handed while distributing money. "The matter has been reported to the executive magistrate. The next step will be taken when they come," he added. Assistant Superintendent of Police of Kamarkhand Circle Adnan Mostafiz said: "He was trying to buy votes in the polling centre area with money. However, it was not initially known for which candidate he did this. Further legal action will be taken in this regard."
meanwhile, a UP member was jailed at Damurhuda upazila in Chuadanga district for obstructing voters from entering polling centre. Abu Siddiq is member of ward no 2 under Kurargachhi union parishad in Damurhuda upazila. Police arrested UP member Abu Siddiq, who was working for chairman candidate Ali Mansur Babul, for barring voters from entering Chandipur Government Primary School centre in the morning. Later, a mobile court led by executive magistrate and assistant commissioner Saiful Islam sentenced him to seven days in jail, said Jakia Sultana, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Damurhuda-Jibannagar circle. She said the law enforcers also arrested Shakhawat Hossain, a supporter of Jibannagar upazila chairman candidate Hafizur Rahman, for restricting voters from casting votes at Katapole Government Primary School centre in Jibannagar upazila in the morning. Shakhawat was taken to the concerned police station and legal actions against him were underway, the ASP said.
On the other hand, at least three people were injured after the supports of two chairmen candidates locked into a clash centering the Upazila Parishad elections in Bholahat of Chapainawabganj on Wednesday morning. Police have arrested in this connection. Locals said a chase and counter-chase took place between supporters of Awami League -backed candidate Md Abdul Khalek (Tea Cup) and Anwer Hossain (Shrimp) at in front of the Bireswarpur Government Primary School voting centre in the morning, leaving three people injured. Among the injured Mohammad Samsul Alam, supporter of Anwer, was in critical conditions. Others were Obaidul Haq and Alam Ali. Later, additional police and BGB personnel were deployed to control the situation. Officer-in-charge of Bholahat Police Station Sumon Kumar Pal said police detained one person named Tota Ali in this connection.
