Presiding officer at Dhaka South polling station stamps ballot for AL-backed mayor candidate

bdnews24.com Correspondent Sajidul Haque found Narinda Govt Primary School voting centre’s Presiding Officer Obaidul Islam stamping ballots around 11:30am.

He reported from the spot that law-enforcers were sending back voters, who had come to exercise their franchise at the centre under Ward 42 of Dhaka South City Corporation.

“Everyone inside is having breakfast. Come back later,” is what voters were told.

Police, however, did not stop the bdnews24.com correspondent from entering and he did not find anyone inside having breakfast.

One of the two voting rooms on the first floor was locked and two men without any ID cards stopped the correspondent from entering the voting booth in the other room.

“I peeked through them and saw Presiding Officer Obaidul Islam, a polling officer, polling agent of Hilsha symbol and two others stamping ballots on the poll symbol of Hilsha.”

Ruling party endorsed Dhaka South mayor runner Sayeed Khokon is contesting with Hilsha symbol.

Polling agents of no other candidate were seen at the centre.

Sensing the bdnews24.com correspondent’s presence, they stopped stamping ballots and went back to their designated places at the voting booth.

The presiding officer, responsible for maintaining proper polling atmosphere at a centre, left the room and went to the ground floor.

He went back straight to his room ostensibly to meet ‘Election Commission officials’.

After almost five minutes, he called the bdnews24.com correspondent to his room.

“I found the agent of only one mayor candidate in that booth. No other polling agents were there,” said Presiding Officer Obaidul Haque.

While leaving the polling station, the bdnews24.com correspondent found security personnel continuing to turn back voters coming to centre with the same story: "Officials are having breakfast”.

Perhaps not realising it was already time for lunch.