Chittagong, May 9 (BDNEWS) - The Chittagong city corporation polls, a local body election, charged with highest level of politics, was held by and large peacefully Monday amidst unprecedented security measures.
No major troubles were reported during the eight-hour non-stop voting in 577 centres, barring some stray incidents of false voting, intimidation, ousting polling agents of opposition candidate and enjoying government facilities by the ministers.
Some 20,000 security personnel, including, army, para-military BDR, police, ansar, APBN as well as RAB, RRF and Coast Guard were deployed to ensure maximum security and hold the election in a free and fair manner.
A total of 408 candidates -- 21 for mayoral, 304 for commissioner and 83 for reserved commissioner-- vied to win the heart of the voters in 41 wards.
Incumbent mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury of Awami league vied as candidate of Nagorik Committee (Citizen's Committee) while his challenger was State Minister Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin of ruling four-party coalition.
Hectic campaign involving top leaders of the rival political groups grabbed the media spotlight as the poll results may also shape the coming days' politics for both the government and the opposition camps.
Voting began at 8:00 in the morning and continued till 4:00 pm without any break. The total number of voters in the second largest city corporation of the country was 1,138,318, including 452,874 females.
Chief Election Commissioner MA Syed said in Dhaka that the election was fair and peaceful. "Voting was not postponed in any of the centres," he told journalists at his Election Commission office.
The CEC received a number of allegations from the Nagorik Committee and four-party candidates by fax sent from Chittagong while Dr Kamal Hossain and Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil, MP, directly went to him.
Nagorik Committee also lodged allegation with the returning officer that irregularities took place in 80 centres. The four-party complained about irregularities in 71 centres. It also accused two magistrates of working for Nagorik Committee.
Many eligible voters alleged that they did not find their names in the voter lists that deprived them of exercising their franchise. "I did not find my name in the list and I had to return," said Abu Taleb, a resident of Kazir Deury under ward 15.
Taleb was not alone as he did not find the names of 16 out of 18 eligible voters of his joint family. Javed Akhter, another voter of Kazir Deury and many others in front of the polling stations made similar allegation.
Receiving such allegations from various areas, Nurul Islam BSc, chief election agent of Mohiuddin Chowdhury, apprehended that some 50,000 eligible voters might have been dropped from the voter list.
He also alleged that four-party "cadres" captured and drove out polling agents of Nagorik Committee from a number of centres, including several in Bakulia, dominated by the Hindu voters.
Many voters alleged that they found that their votes were cast before they reached the polling booths. Polash Dutta (voter no. 2998) said he went to the centre at about 10am and found that his vote has already been cast.
Fake voting was noticed in Haji Mohsin Government College, Government High School, Kajem Ali High School, Medical College, Medical Staff Quarter, Probortok High School, Bahaddarhat Ekhlasur Rahman Government Primary School, Jamal Khan Shah Waliullah Institute, Mohra AK Khan High School, CJMCL Colony High School, Mirza Ahmed Ispahani Smriti High School, Katalganj Government Primary School, Kapashgol School and College, Dr Khastgir School and Kushum Kumari School.
Election monitoring groups JANIPOP and US-based IRI said: Despite strong presence by law enforcers, party mastans congregated outside of polling centres, either intimidating potential voters or soliciting false voters.
There was allegation of slow pace of casting vote. Nagorik Committee also alleged that its supporters were not allowed to sit at the camps in front of a number of polling centres.
Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, complained that "cadres" of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal compelled them to leave the camp they had set up in front of Polytechnic Institute centre.
Chowdhury Borhanul Hasan, son of mayor candidate Mohiuddin Chowdhury, alleged that he was roughed up by JCD members while coming out of the Polytechnic Institute centre after casting his vote.
Five handmade crude bombs were hurled at A Jalil Primary School at Nasirabad, where Mohiuddin Chowdhury cast his vote. A rickshaw-puller and a woman were injured in the attack.
BDNEWS/2015 hrs
