Polling officer in B'baria beaten for stopping vice chairman candidate supporters from casting fake vote
The assault on the polling officer spread panic among the voters, resulting in a slow pace of voting at the centre
A polling officer in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar upazila has been assaulted by a vice chairman candidate and his supporters for stopping them from casting fake votes.
The incident occurred around 11am at the Ratanpur Government Primary School polling station in Chatlapar union under Nasirnagar during the voting today (8 May), said Palash Majumdar, the presiding officer of the centre.
"Vice-chairman candidate Humayun Kabir entered the centre with several supporters around 11am. When his supporters attempted to cast fake votes, the on-duty polling officer, Faisal Islam, intervened. Angered by this, the candidate's supporters started slapping and hitting the polling officer," he said.
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Police later arrived at the centre and brought the situation under control.
When asked, Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain, Brahmanbaria's police superintendent, said, "The situation at the centre is calm now. Legal action will be taken against those involved in assaulting the polling officer.
"Efforts are underway to arrest them," he added.
Vice chairman candidate Humayun Kabir could not be reached for comment regarding the allegation against him.
The assault on the polling officer spread panic among the voters, resulting in a slow pace of voting at the centre.
The total number of registered voters at this centre is 2,990, of which only 242 had voted by 12pm.
Voting began in the 177 centres across Nasirnagar and Sarail upazila elections at 8am in the morning and will continue until 4pm.
Eleven candidates are contesting for the chairman position. The two upazilas have a voter count of 526,930.
