6 points that marked Gazipur city polls

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Despite a handful of allegations of irregularities - including shortage of ballot papers, stuffing ballot papers and violation of electoral rules, voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections was overall peaceful.

Election suspended in nine centres

The Election Commission (EC) suspended balloting at nine centres in the Gazipur City Corporation election on charges of irregularities, Deputy Commissioner Humayun Kabir said.

The centres are – Tongi’s Khortoil Monsoor Ali Model School, Binda Government Primary School, Haji Piar Ali Government Primary School, Bhogra Madhyapara Government Primary school, Jahan Public School Dattapara, Khilgaon Government Primary School, Modinatul Ulum Senior Madrasa and Kunia Haji Abdul Latif Government Primary School 1 and 2.

“Voting was suspended over allegations of ballot stuffing, attempts to occupy the centres and clashes between supporters of rival candidates,” the Gazipur DC told reporters in the afternoon.

Balloting had been temporarily suspended at three polling centres – Greatmat Primary School, Ideal School in the Konabari area and Bagbari Hakkania Salehia Alim Madrasa in Kashimpur.

Shortage of ballot papers

Voters were unable to cast their votes at Mogorkhal High School in Mogorkhal of Chondogram, in Gazipur, from 10am to 12pm. 

Presiding Officer of the polling centre Hasanul Karim Kamal said ballot papers were unavailable for 40 minutes.

The papers, however, arrived after 12pm, he said.

Snatching of voting lists

Agents and supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) mayor candidate Hasan Uddin Sarker in Madinatul Ulum Senior Madrassa polling centre in Gazipur Sadar upazila alleged that all their voter lists had been snatched by the AL mayor candidate’s supporters.

One Irfan Hossain, a BNP agent stationed at booth no 1 of the polling centre at Madinatul Ulum said that they had no voter list and he could not verify the voters or identify if anyone cast a fake vote.

Abu Harif, Tamanna Afroz and Shahanaz, all three BNP agents stationed at different booths in the polling centre also said the same.

Presiding Officer Mohammad Saidul Islam of the polling centre however, denied the allegations.

No BNP agents in polling centers 

The BNP had not assigned any polling agent for the Kanaya Government Primary School voting centre, where AL’s mayoral candidate Mohammad Jahangir Alam was a voter.

Although agents of all councillors were present at the centre, no agent from any mayoral candidate except Jahangir was present there.

Presiding Officer Kanjurul Islam said no BNP agent applied for the centre.

“No one probably applied as it is Jahangir Alam’s own area. I will do my best to make the voting fair,” he said.

Agents driven out

BNP’s mayoral candidate for Gazipur City Corporation Hasan Uddin Sarker alleged that many of his agents were beaten up and driven out of different polling centres since voting began in the city.

He said he will accept the election results if polls are held in a fair manner.

Stuffing ballot papers

Hasan alleged that AL supporters stuffed ballot papers at MAH Arif College polling centre in Konabari, alleging that voting took place in this manner at all centres. 

According to a written complaint filed by Hasan, AL supporters were found stuffing ballots in around 450 booths in 67 centres.

The returning officer, however, denied the allegation and claimed that voting took place in peaceful manner.