Attack on Syed Faizul Karim: Is he dead? asks CEC

Staff Reporter  :
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Monday said the injury of Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s mayoral candidate Mufti Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim in the Barishal City Corporation election was a ‘relative’ issue.
“Is he dead? No, but how far… we have seen, but we did not see any blood. So far, we have heard someone punched him from the back. We also heard his speech, he said ‘voting is not being hampered and I have been attacked’,” the CEC said.

Kazi Habibul Awal made these remarks replying to queries from journalists in Dhaka on Monday afternoon after voting to Barishal and Khulna city polls ended.
The CEC said they have given the instructions to take action against the perpetrators immediately after they were informed of the incident and voting was not hampered by this incident. Overall the election was carried off well despite a few stray incidents and the commission is satisfied, he added.

Replying to a query, the CEC said they expect 42-45 per cent turnout of voters in Khulna and 50 per cent in Barishal city.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s mayoral candidate Faizul Karim on Monday alleged that ruling Awami

league men swopped on him and his supporters, leaving him and several others injured.
“Activists of the AL mayoral candidate barred me from entering the Kawnia centre when I tried to lodge a complaint with the presiding officer. Several of my supporters and I were injured in the attack,’ Faizul Karim told the press.