-Two candidates announced to leave the field on Facebook Live due to fear
-Attacks on the chairman candidate and his supporters in several places
-Hand grenade explosion in front of the chairman candidate's house.
The first phase of the 6th Upazila Parishad elections will be held tomorrow. As the opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and their allies did not participate in this election, the main rivalry is between Awami League (AL) candidates. Awami League's ideological and political allies of the 14-party alliance are not in the field in this election. As a result, Awami League's rival in the voting field is Awami League.
The fear that the internal order of the Awami League would be destroyed at the center of this election was already expressed. As the election campaign drew to a close, that fear became a reality. In some upazilas, due to intimidation by the opponent, the candidate in the polling field was forced to announce his withdrawal from the election. In some upazilas, there was a direct attack on the chairman candidate. In some upazilas, female chairman candidates were attacked. Again, while campaigning in several upazilas, there was an attack on the candidate's supporters. A hand grenade explosion also took place in front of the candidate's house.
Although the first phase of campaigning ended last night, the tension between the candidate and his supporters did not subside. They fear that polling day may be influenced, votes may be stolen or centers may be captured. Influential popular candidates are afraid of creating a conflict situation if the irregularities are prevented.
Two chairman candidates withdrew in fear
Two chairman candidates in Niamatpur Upazila of Naogaon came on Facebook live last Sunday (May 5) after accusing a rival candidate of violating the code of conduct and showing intimidation. Those two candidates are Niamatpur Upazila Awami League (AL) President Abul Kalam Azad (Cup-Pirich symbol) and Vice President Ishwar Chandra Burman (Horse symbol).
Abul Kalam Azad came on Facebook Live at 7:30 pm on May 5 and said, I am participating in making Niamatpur Upazila Parishad elections fair and competitive. But a candidate and his staff supporters continue to campaign for votes by using the names of the food minister and his family in violation of the code of conduct. My leaders and workers are being intimidated in various ways not to campaign for me. Many leaders and activists of the Upazila Awami League and its affiliated organizations are being forced to work for that rival candidate against their will. Even UP chairmen are being forced to work for that candidate. UP chairmen are threatening to deprive beneficiaries of TCB, VGD, VGF, old age, and widow benefits if they do not vote for that candidate. In this situation, I have decided to boycott the election due to the lack of a fair voting environment and because of the conflict and conflict between the party leaders and workers.
On the same day at around 9 pm, Ishwar Chandra Burman said on Facebook Live that Awami League had decided to elect interested candidates as independent candidates without giving party nominations in the Upazila Parishad elections to make the elections competitive. But a chairman candidate in the Niamatpur upazila parishad election is campaigning by claiming to be a minister's man and a candidate of Awami League. The workers-supporters of that candidate are threatening my workers-supporters. Government beneficiaries are threatening voters with disenfranchisement if they don't vote for that candidate. In this situation, I have decided to withdraw from the election due to the lack of a fair voting environment and for the safety of his staff.
Bomb blast in front of candidate's house
Two bomb blasts took place in front of the residence of Principal Ibrahim Khalil, the candidate for the post of chairman in Jessore's Sharsha Upazila Parishad elections. Miscreants detonated two bombs in front of his residence at Navaran Rajnagar intersection in Sharsha in the early hours of Sunday, May 5. As a result, panic spread in the area. However, no casualty was reported.
Ibrahim Khalil said, we woke up in the early morning with a sudden loud noise. The opposition candidate in the election exploded a bomb in front of my house to create panic. He said, my position in the election is very good. Such terrorist incidents are being done so that I refrain from campaigning. Meanwhile, when the incident was reported to the administration, the police came and started investigation.
Candidate attacked in police station
In Sirajganj's Belkuchi police station, the chairman candidate was attacked by another chairman candidate and his workers-supporters. The Election Commission (EC) has ordered an investigation into the incident. The returning officer and Sirajganj district election officer Shahidul Islam confirmed the matter on May 4.
Shahidul Islam said that Election Commissioner Rasheda Sultana ordered an investigation through a written letter on the evening of May 3. According to the written instructions, the matter has been investigated and the report submitted within the next two days.
He also said that chairman candidate Aminul Islam (Dowat-Kalam) and his workers-supporters entered the Belkuchi police station and attacked another rival candidate Badiuzzaman Fakir (motorcycle symbol) and his workers-supporters in violation of the election code of conduct. They have obstructed the election campaign, using threats and intimidation in various ways. Complaints with video footage of these have come to them. A general diary (GD) has also been made at the police station. The police have also filed a case as a plaintiff in this incident. These activities are against the upazila parishad's electoral conduct rules. A show cause notice has been given to chairman candidate Aminul Islam for violating the code of conduct. Along with that, a written instruction has been given to investigate the complaint. If the complaint is proved in the investigation, legal action will be taken in this regard as soon as possible.
Attack on women candidates
In the Hatibandha Upazila Parishad election of Lalmonirhat, supporters of the other candidate Liaquat Hossain Bachchu attacked the chairman candidate Shahana Ferdausi Seema. 10 supporters of two candidates including journalists were injured in this incident. They are receiving treatment at Hatibandha Upazila Health Complex. This incident happened in the Hatibandha Upazila Medical Mor area last May 3.
According to eyewitnesses and police sources, Hafizul, a supporter of the chairman candidate Bachchu, made obscene comments during the election campaign about Seema, the candidate of the pineapple symbol, on the night of May 3. After learning about the matter, chairman candidate Shahana Ferdausi Seema's husband and chairman of Patikapara Union Parishad Mujibul Alam Sadat protested. This led to tension between the two sides. At one point, Shahana Ferdowsi Seema was leaving the medical junction with her supporters when the situation was normalized in the presence of police and journalists. At such time, supporters of Liaquat Hossain Bachchu attacked them.
Attack on candidate in Manikganj
Manikganj's Shibaloy upazila chairman candidate Abdur Rahim Khan was attacked by opponents and his followers held a protest and human chain program to demand punishment for those involved. On the same day, the opposition chairman candidate Rezaur Rahman Khan Janu's followers also held a program to protest the allegations of 'false attack' at the same place. These programs were held on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in the Tepra bus stand area of the upazila on Tuesday, April 30. Abdur Rahim is the vice-president of district Awami League and former chairman of Shibaloy Upazila Parishad. And Rezaur Rahman is the president of Upazila Awami League and the current chairman of Upazila Parishad.
According to sources, on the night of April 27, Abdur Rahim's car was targeted and shot at on his way back to his private car after election campaigning in different areas of Shimulia Union of the upazila. The rear part of the car was damaged by the cocktail explosion, but he survived. Abdur Rahim said, the enemy's terrorist forces attacked with the intention of killing me. The administration has not taken any action in this regard. When a complaint was made to the police station a day after the incident, they said that they did not file a case, nor did they arrest anyone who attacked. In this situation, I am very worried about the election.
Attack on chairman candidate in Natore
Bagatipara upazila chairman candidate Jahangir Hossain Manik is accused of attack against the opposition supporters. This incident happened last May 1, around 7:30 pm. Injured Jahangir Hossain Manik said that since last Wednesday afternoon, he was campaigning with 3 supporters in Sonapur market of Bagatipara upazila. Around 7:30 pm during campaigning, 5-7 people attacked under the leadership of Abul Kalam Azad, a supporter of chairman candidate Shariful Islam Sharif. The assailants escaped when the police went to the spot after being informed by the locals. Later he admitted him to Sadar Hospital.
Attack on candidate's supporters in Narayanganj
Allegations of attack on workers-supporters of chairman candidate Ataur Rahman Mukul in the Bandar Upazila Parishad elections of Narayananj have been raised. At least 3 people were injured. The incident took place at the Madanpur autorickshaw stand of the upazila on the night of May 5. Ataur Rahman Mukul has entered the election battle with the 'shrimp' symbol. The injured are Mukul's brother-in-law Mohammad Sohail, supporters Shyamal and Mostak. Initially they were treated.
Ataur Rahman Mukul's son Rupon Ahmed said, after campaigning in Madanpur, my uncle and our workers-supporters were returning to the election camp. And after campaigning, my father left in the previous car. Meanwhile, they were attacked by some youths while waiting at the stand for an autorickshaw. Rupan alleged that the attacking youths were workers of MA Rashid, the candidate supported by Awami League in the ruling party, with the 'Dowat-Kalam' symbol.
Meanwhile, in the Barishal Sadar Upazila Parishad election, there was an attack on the supporters of the motorcycle symbol chairman candidate. Locals arrested two of the attackers named Apu and Shakib from the spot and handed them over to the police. Two people injured in the attack in the Kagashura Bazar area of Charbaria Union of Barisal Sadar Upazila have been admitted to the hospital. The arrested Shakib is the son of Munsi of the local body and a resident of Puranpara area of Apu Nagar.
Locals said that the workers-supporters of motorcycle symbol chairman candidate were going to election office in Kagashura market. On the way, a group led by Rasel Munshi intercepted them, abused them in profanity and threatened to leave the polling ground. At that time, Rasel and the people with him attacked Rana Sharif, a supporter of the motorcycle symbol. At this time, Rasel Munshi tried to attack Barishal Zilla Parishad member Shahidul Islam when he went to save Rana. When Rana Sharif's wife came to the spot after getting the news, the miscreants also assaulted her.
It should be noted that the campaign for the first phase of 152 Upazila Parishad elections ended last night. Voting will be held on May 8. After a busy campaign with various promises and counter-complaints of the candidates, now only waiting for the polling.
ZH
