Staff Reporter :
The second phase of the Upazila Parishad elections concluded with unprecedentedly low voter turnout, widespread ballot snatching, firing, clashes, and the arrest of a presiding officer.
The violence resulted in the death of one man and injuries to 50 others, including 15 journalists, across the country on Tuesday.
In Cox’s Bazar, a man named Safur Alam, 35, son of Nur Uddin from the Pashchim Pokkhali area, was stabbed to death, and three others were injured during clashes among supporters of two upazila chairman candidates.
The incident occurred in Eidgaon on Tuesday during the second phase of the upazila polls, as confirmed by Eidgaon Police Station’s Officer in-charge (OC) Shuvo Ranjan Chakma.
According to OC Shuvo Ranjan Chakma, the victim Safur Alam, an activist of the “Telephone” symbol, and Saidul, brother of Masud, an agent of the “Motorcycle” symbol, got into an altercation over establishing supremacy during the election.
During the altercation, Masud attacked Safur Alam, leaving him critically injured. Safur Alam was later sent to Eidgaon Medical Center, where the duty doctor declared him dead. Regarding the incident, the OC stated that legal steps are being taken.
In Rajshahi, a clash occurred between supporters of two chairman candidates in Durgapur upazila over occupying the polling station. At least 10 workers supporting the two candidates were injured in the attack. The injured have been admitted to the Upazila Health Center. Police arrived at the scene after the incident and brought the situation under control.
According to local residents and police sources, after the polling started at the Gopalpur High School center of the upazila at around 8 am on Tuesday, the workers-supporters of the former upazila chairman Abdul Majid (horse) and municipal Awami League general secretary Sharifuzzaman Shafir (motorcycle) tried to occupy the polling station.
At that time, supporters of both sides clashed. They attack each other. As a result polling stopped for some time. On receiving the information, the police went to the spot and chased out the activists and supporters of both sides from the center area. Meanwhile, 10 people including Amjad Hossain (46), Khadir Pramanik (40), Shahidul Islam (36), Santu Ali (25), Nantu Ali (35), Abdur Razzak (50) and Abdul Hakim (45) were injured in the incident.
In Shariatpur, at least 15 people, including 10 journalists were injured, in an attack by supporters of the motorcycle symbol for filming public voting in the Jazira Upazila Parishad elections. The incident took place at Faraji Darus Sunnah Hafizia Madrasa Center of Senerchar Union of Upazila at around 11:00 on Tuesday (21 May).
In Kushtia, three people were injured in an attack by opponents on a polling station in the Upazila Parishad elections in Kumarkhali. The incident took place at Zainabad Colony Government Primary School center on Monday (21 May) around 4 pm.