Polls in outlaw-infested Hajipur today, BDR sent

Although local body polls are held on non-party basis, the two chairman candidates are being backed by the two major parties. Abul Kashem is being backed by ruling BNP and Lutfar Rahman by opposition Awami League, sources there said.

No incident of violence was reported till yesterday.

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Earlier, in a petition to the Chief Election Commissioner, Lutfar Rahman demanded deployment of BDR, alleging that criminals and outlaws were active in the area, which could be a threat to the free and fair election.

Adequate security personnel have been deployed in the nine words as all the 10 polling centres were identified as vulnerable.

"We are determined to hold a free and fair election in a peaceful atmosphere", Magura Police Superintendent Biswas Afzal Hossain said. Security teams comprising police, BDR and Ansar will be deployed in each centre and there will be mobile teams also, he said.

The election is taking place after 11 years.

A total of 14,349 voters are expected to exercise their franchise. The last election was held in 1992.

Election had been withheld due to legal complexities over delimitation of areas.

A total of 43 candidates including two for the post of chairman and eight for the three reserve seats of women are in the fray.