Opponents hurt upazila chairman candidate

16 January 2009, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari

A chairman candidate of Dighinala upazila was hospitalised after being beaten by his opponents at Merung Bazar, 45 kilometre off the district town, Thursday night, police said. Chairman candidate SM Yusuf Ali was attacked by men of his opponent Mohammad Abul Kashem while he was preparing to go back to his Jamtali house on completion of his election campaign, they said. Initially, he took treatment at Dighinala Upazila Health Complex from where he was shifted to Khagrachhari Adhunik Sadar Hospital at mid-night. When contacted, Yusuf Ali confirmed that Abul Kashem's men attacked him with a motive to kill him. He further said that he had lodged several complaints with the returning officer against Abul Kashem and his men. Earlier, Election Commission (EC) held up Dighinala upazila election on January 15 following a complaint lodged by probable candidate Priyadarshi Chakma. He alleged that armed cadres of the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) had forced him to withdraw his nomination paper.