Election 2008

Festive voting in Barisal as no sign of intimidation

Bhola mayor, councillor held for 'influencing' voting

29 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Emran Hossain and Rafiqul Islam, from Barisal

As the election monitoring car carrying journalists left the city for different constituencies in Barisal yesterday morning, roads were seen filled with three-wheeler-vans, rickshaws, and lines of people in groups and families heading towards polling centres. When the car reached WB Union Institution centre in Uzirpur under Barisal-2 constituency, 3,162 votes out of total 3,829 were already cast. There is a large number of Hindu voters in the area, locals said. “I feel very good”, said housewife Malati after casting vote. “If it remains like this always none should have any objection regarding election”. She thronged the centre with his seven year-old girl and husband. It was the second after 1996 that Malati Das cast her vote. Since 1996, she did not dare to go to polling centre due to intimidation, she alleged. Voter intimidation was widespread in Barisal region, particularly in Hindu populated areas, in 2001 election. Such festive mood among voters was seen in different polling centres under Barisal-1, Barisal-2, Barisal-6, Barisal-5 and Barisal-3, except for very few incidents due to errors between the list supplied to polling centres for voting and the list supplied to the candidates from the election commission. The ninth parliamentary election in Barisal division ended in an unprecedented peaceful atmosphere and festive mood with about 80 per cent voter turnout in almost all the constituencies including those in minority community areas. There were very few incidents of fake voting and stray incidents of minor violence in some centers in Barisal-5, Bhola-3, and Bhola-4. Divisional Commissioner Mesbah Ul Alam and DIG of police Khan Sayeed Hasan said polling was held in a peaceful atmosphere without report of any untoward incident. Vote cast was however slow during first hours in remote polling centres like Padri Shibpur in Bakerganj under Barisal-6 constituency. “Some names on the ID card did not match the names on lists supplied to polling centres,” said Rehana Parvin, a polling agent of Ruhul Amin Howlader, contetsting from Barisal-6. Only 10 votes were cast in the first one hour, he said. “I arrived here early in the morning and lined up. And now they say this is not my booth. I have to line up again in another booth,” said Pori Begum, a 65-year-old women. “The serial given in the government list for taking vote does not match the list given to candidates,” said Abdul Haque, presiding officer at Padri Shibpur polling centre at 9:55am. At around 10:00am, assistant presiding officer Abdur Razzak Mollah at No. 64 polling centre in Barisal city (under Barisal-5) was withdrawn as he tried to influence people to cast vote in favor of sheaf of paddy. Voting in Mahmudia Dakhil Madrassa centre in Amanatganj in the city was disrupted for about half an hour as 61 voters could not vote till the afternoon. They however cast vote after 3:00pm. About 50 per cent votes were cast by noon in almost all the centres in the city while it rose to 70 by 3:00 in the afternoon. Four fake votes was reported including two in the city. The centres, however, took tender votes in the cases. Voting was also disrupted for about half an hour at Aswani Kumar Town Hall centre in the city due to problems allegedly created by councilor of ward no. 9 in Barisal city Zamal Hossain Noma, an associate of four-party contender Mojibur Rahman Sarwar in Barisal-5. In Lalmohon, Bhola municipality mayor Enayet Kabir and councilor Milon Panchayet were held by police as they tried to influence voters in a polling centre. The mayor was released later but the councilor was held till writing of the report. In Bhola-4, Awami League and BNP leaders filed cases.