Manisha Chakrabarty says she was attacked by AL men for protesting Barishal ‘vote rigging’

Manisha Chakrabarty, a mayoral candidate chosen by the Socialist Party of Bangladesh for Barishal city, has allegedly been attacked by Awami League supporters for ‘protesting vote rigging.’

Chakrabarty also accused the Election Commission of ignoring her complaints of rigging as thousands of voters headed to the polls in the southern city of Barishal.

The candidate with the Ladder symbol went to the Oxford Mission School centre to cast her vote at around 8am. Later, she visited the Government Girls High School centre at Ward No. 17.

Chakrabarty said she was ‘attacked’ by the ruling party supporters after she protested vote rigging by the Awami League, she told reporters waiting outside the polling centre.

The young politician who is also a physician said the attacker left her with back injuries and a broken fingernail.

However, Presiding Officer Prabhash Kumar Mandal denied the allegation and accused Chakrabarty of creating a chaos instead.

“Accompanied by about 20 people, she created a chaos at the centre. There have been no irregularities at the centre. She entered a polling booth, tore a ballot and walked away leaving us shocked,” Mandal told bdnews24.com.

Chakrabarty said she heard ballots are being stamped to favour the Awami League candidate in about 100 centres, half an hour into the voting.

“Voters were not given ballot papers to cast their votes for mayoral candidates. We found all ballots for mayoral posts already stamped when we came to the centre 66. We informed the presiding officer but he just sat quietly without taking any action,” Chakrabarty said.

She alleged that two men wearing AL badges pushed her down, snatched the ballot paper from her and tore it.

“Central Girls School, AK School—these centres are situated at the heart of Barishal city. What happened here mirrors the overall situation. Our agents have been pushed out of the centres. All we are expecting is a measure by the Election Commission.”