First phase of UP elections over
ENTHUSIASM FOR FRANCHISE: A large number of voters queue up to cast their vote at Char Moishadi Government Primary School centre in Patuakhali Sadar upazila yesterday, the last day of the first phase of election to union parishads, the lowest tier of the local government institution. Photo: STAR
With the holding of elections in 132 unions yesterday, the six-day staggered UP polls in 12 coastal districts came to an end. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC) on February 24, elections to the lowest tier of local government structure began on March 29. In the first phase, polls to 568 union parishads (UPs) were held largely peacefully except some stray incidents. The EC will announce the schedule for phase-wise elections to 4,300 more UPs across the country later. Yesterday, peaceful voting took place in 53 unions under four districts of Barisal division, 28 unions in Khulna, 24 unions in Satkhira, 19 unions in Bagerhat and eight unions in Noakhali districts. Our correspondents from Barisal and Patuakhali reported that peaceful elections, barring some stray incidents, were held to 23 UPs in Barisal district, 12 UPs in Patuahkali district, seven UPs in Barguna district and 11 UPs in Pirojpur district. In Patuakhali, a mobile court jailed a candidate for three months for violating election rules. The convict is Md Hossain alias Dulal Madbar, chairman candidate for Matharbunia UP under Sadar upazila. Magistrate Nazrul Islam delivered the judgement at around noon at Birajola School center. Dulal Madbar was arrested while giving money to voters inside the polling centre. Our staff correspondent from Khulna reports: Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Jubo League leader Shimul at a polling centre in Shovna Union under Dumuria upazila for openly seeking votes in favour of a candidate vying for chairman post. Besides, a mobile court, led by Executive Magistrate Md Mokhlesur Rahman, arrested three people on charge of distributing money and leaflets among the voters of Barasat union under Terokheda upazila of the district. The arrestees are Mangol Roy, 28, Pallab Roy, 26, and Azad Sheikh, 23. Police recovered Tk 2,700 and 105 leaflets from their possession. Md Matiar Rahman, officer-in-charge of Terokheda Police Station, said the three were arrested while distributing leaflets and buying votes at Kalinagar village for a chairman candidate for Barasat UP. General Secretary of Awami League Terokheda upazila unit Sheikh Shahidul Islam, also a chairman candidate for Terokheda UP, was chased by his rivals when he went to Katenga Bazar at around 10:00pm on Saturday to seek votes. Police on routine patrol duty rescued him and escorted him to his house. Shahidul Islam, the sitting chairman of the same union, is the prime accused in Terokheda BCL leader Fakir Imran Hossain murder case. Imran was gunned down on March 19 while leading a motorcycle procession in favour of another chairman candidate. Police seized the gun of Shahidul Islam used to kill BCL leader. But Shahidul Islam managed to get bail from court.
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