Bhola-3 by-poll ends in Bangladesh

DHAKA - Voting for Bhola-3, a parliamentary constituency in southern Bangladesh, ended Saturday with scattered violence at a few places.

People cast their votes in Lalmohan and Tajumuddin towns in the constituency from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. without any break, Daily Star reported on its website.

Ruling Awami League candidate Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidate, ex-minister Maj. (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, are fighting for the seat.

Ahmed cast his vote at Lalmohon Boys’ High School centre around 8.30 a.m. Shawon, however, could not do so as he is a voter in Dhaka.

The BNP candidate alleged that ruling party cadres had set up check posts at different places to prevent BNP supporters from going to the polling centres.

Many BNP polling agents were attacked and driven away from different polling stations, he said.

The authorities, however, said they had not receives any reports of violence.

A total of 234,926 people, more than 50 percent of them women, were eligible to vote.

Presiding officers from outside the constituency were appointed to conduct the election.

Hundreds of security personnel were deployed as part of the security measures. Mobile courts were set up to hold trials of electoral offences. Executive magistrates were also deployed to assist the mobile courts and strike forces.

The Election Commission said 52 of the 86 polling stations were vulnerable and extra security measures were put in place at these centres.