Two people have been killed in union council election clashes at Satkania’s Nalua and Bazalia unions, sources say, bdnews24.com reports.
A young man was killed on Monday afternoon during a clash between the supporters of two candidates outside the Marfula Board centre in Nalua’s Ward-8. A person of about 35 years of age was also killed in a clash between two chairman candidates at Bazalia Union Ward-2 around 10 am.
“We have heard reports of two deaths so far,” said Fatema Tuz Zohra, the Satkania Upazila Nirbahi Officer. “More details will be released later.”
Voting has also been suspended at two polling centres in Chattogram’s Satkania after a clash between the supporters of two candidates in the union council elections.
Voting was suspended after violence and gunfire outside the Ganipara Government Primary School centre in Khagaria Union and the Khagaria Union Parishad centre, said Umar Faruk, the magistrate on duty. The two centres are only a short distance from each other.
According to eyewitnesses, supporters of Awami League candidate Aktar Hossain and independent candidate Jashim Uddin gathered outside the two centres carrying makeshift weapons at 9:30 am.
The two sides eventually clashed and gunfire was heard. Voters attempted to leave the area amid the chaos.
Locals say gunshots could be heard even after additional police and BGB personnel arrived at the scene.
Chattogram Superintendent of Police Rashidul Haque arrived at the scene around 10:30 am and the situation calmed for some time. Gunfire was again heard after he left.
Allegations have emerged of Awami League supporters removing agents of the independent candidate from several polling centres.
There are also claims of an attack on Selim Uddin Chowdhury, independent candidate for the Sonakania Union council and organising secretary of the Chattogram South District Jubo League.
He said he was attacked in wards 6 and 7.
“At two polling centres, ballots have been stamped with the boat symbol before they even reached voters. They beat us when we complained,” he said.
The allegation was confirmed at the Garangia Government Primary School centre.
There were no ballots for the chairman’s post inside one of the voting booths. Instead, ballots stamped with the boat symbol could be seen on the polling officer’s table.
When asked about the situation, Presiding Officer Md Nasir Uddin said: “Nothing like that has happened.”