Tasnim Jara alleges polling agents barred from centres in Dhaka-9

“Our polling agents are not being allowed to enter. They are being told that they are not voters of this constituency,” she says

Tasnim Jara, an independent candidate in Dhaka-9, has alleged that her polling agents were forced out of voting centres on various pretexts, raising questions about the fairness of the election.

She made the claims while speaking to reporters at the Khilgaon Model College polling centre on Thursday.

“Our polling agents are not being allowed to enter. They are being told that they are not voters of this constituency,” she said.

“But there is no rule that a polling agent must be a voter of the same constituency. My agents were removed by citing rules about female agents being present at male polling centres.”

She also alleged harassment of her representatives.

“They are being harassed in different ways. They are being told that mobile phones cannot be taken inside, whereas phones can be carried — they just cannot be used.”

Questioning the credibility of the process, she added: “On various pretexts, our polling agents have been removed, yet voting is going on inside and the election is continuing. How can this be a fair process? When we ask about the rules, they cannot even explain them.”

Responding to the allegations, the BNP-nominated candidate for the same constituency, Habibur Rashid Habib, denied any involvement.

“None of our people stopped her agents. Jara has not made allegations against any specific party,” he said.