EC enquiry panel hears journalists’ versions of city polls ‘harassment’

An investigation committee has heard from journalists their versions of the stories of being barred from entering polling centres and harassed during Dhaka city corporation elections.

Its convenor, Additional Divisional Commissioner Md Anisur Rahman, told journalists on Tuesday, “Please detail on what happened. We will report that.

“Our task is to hear them and submit our findings. EC will take steps on the matter after getting the reports.”

EC Deputy Secretary Abdul Wadud said, “If needed for the sake of a proper investigation, we will host a hearing with journalists, election officials and police.”

Law enforcers and election officials have vehemently been denying that any such incidents took place during the Apr 28 balloting.

However, during the hearing, several journalists reiterated their allegations based on which the commission marked 30 centres in the capital where malpractices may have occurred.

“A group of people were stamping ballots at Shahjahanpur’s Mahbul Ali Institute vote centre. They were doing it in front of election officials, police and Ansar men,” journalist Sujoy Mohajan said before the probe.

“I was assaulted when I went to cover that. They took away my mobile phone, newspaper ID card and the pass given by the Election Commission.”

He, however, admitted that law enforcers intervened and saved him from being beaten up.

Mohajan told bdnews24.com he filed a complaint with Shahjahanpur police the next day over the incident and a copy of it was submitted during the probe hearing.

However, a member of the probe said Sub-Inspector Mehedi Hasan, who was on duty at the centre, denied any such incident in a preceding hearing held by the probe for law enforcers.

The panel on May 17, 20 and 24 heard versions of the events from presiding officers, police and executive magistrates.

Journalist Amitosh Pal claimed to have been assaulted while covering the poll at the Uttara Girls High School and College polling centre.

“When I went to report the incident with Uttara police, the duty officer started harassing me with questions.

“Since I was physically unwell at that time, I was not in a state to answer all his questions and in anger, returned home without filing the GD.”

Another journalist, Obayed Angshuman, said, “I heard that ballots were being stamped in Kamalapur High School centre in front of the police.

“I was attacked when I went to collect the news.”

He alleged the OC of the related station stood silent during the attack.

Other journalists who attended the hearing expressed fears that the truth behind the harassments might never come out.

The commission formed two probes in Dhaka and Chittagong to find out the cause behind the harassments and take steps against those responsible.

The findings are to be given to the commission by this month.