Jamaat candidate's late-night polling station entry stirs tension in Faridpur-1, presiding officer withdrawn

Tension spread in Faridpur's Madhukhali upazila late at night after Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the Faridpur-1 constituency, Md Ilias Mollah, abruptly entered the Ashapur Senior Madrasa polling centre late last night (11 February).

Following the incident and the subsequent unrest among locals, the presiding officer of the centre was withdrawn.

The incident took place at the Ashapur Senior Madrasa polling centre in Gazna union around midnight.

To bring the situation under control, additional police and army personnel were deployed at the site.

According to local sources, Ilias Mollah allegedly entered the polling centre unexpectedly, in violation of the election code of conduct, leading to protests from residents and heightened tension in the area.

As news of the incident spread, tension escalated rapidly in the area.

Madhukhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Rawshan Jahan, along with members of law enforcement agencies, rushed to the spot following the incident and brought the situation under control.

Authorities later withdrew the presiding officer of the polling centre, considering the seriousness of the situation.

Madhukhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Fakir Md Taizur Rahman said that police rushed to the polling centre immediately after receiving the information and took steps to restore normalcy.