Baghaichari Upazila polls halted as UPDF stages blockade

The Election Commission was preparing to hold the election in the Upazila on Sunday

The Election Commission has suspended voting in Rangamati’s Baghaichari Upazila amid a blockade called by the United People's Democratic Front or UPDF, a regional organisation in the hill districts, demanding a fair and peaceful election.

The polls in the Upazila will remain suspended until further notice as the law and order situation is likely to deteriorate, according to a letter signed by EC Deputy Secretary Atiar Rahman.

The Upazila was to vote on Sunday. The EC had also completed all preparations tied to the election.

Polling in the Upazila was previously scheduled for May 29 but the commission set Jun 9 for the vote due to adverse weather under the influence of Cyclone Remal.

The voting has been suspended due to unavoidable circumstances, Baghaichari Chief Executive Officer (UNO) and Assistant Returning Officer Shirin Akter said.

UPDF’S BLOCKADE UNDERWAY

The UPDF has been running a dawn-to-dusk road blockade in Baghaichari a day before the local government election.

The activists and supporters of the group blocked different parts of the Khagrachhari-Sajek road with tree trunks or burning tyres. The protesters also vandalised a motorcycle in the Upazil’s Sat Kilometre area around noon.

UPDF Rangamati District Unit Organiser Shachal Chakma said, “An ‘armed group’ has taken up positions in Baghaihat to threaten election agents and influence elections in Baghaichari Upazila. The blockade is being observed to protest this incident and demand fair and peaceful elections along with the arrest of the criminals.”

The UPDF leader claimed that a group of 50 people entered Baghaihat boarding a microbus around 1:30pm on Friday. They are now staying at the abandoned office of Karnafully Paper Mill (KPM).

The protesters also claimed that the supporters of the rival candidates have been threatening the agents of chairman candidate Aliv Chakma and female vice chairman candidate Sumita Chakma for the past several days.