Case filed against former MP Tipu, 161 others in Barishal over alleged vote rigging

A case has been filed against 162 individuals, including former member of parliament (MP) Golam Kibria Tipu, over allegations of vote rigging and seizing polling stations during the 2018 national elections in Barishal's Babuganj. 

Anwar Hossain Hemayet, member secretary of Deherhoti BNP, lodged the case on Thursday night (21 November) at Babuganj Police Station, said Sheikh Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of the station this morning (24 November).

Mentioning that police accepted the case and initiated an investigation, Aminul also said efforts are underway to arrest the individuals involved.

The case names 12 individuals explicitly, including Golam Kibria Tipu, who is a Jatiya Party praesidium member and a former MP, as well as prominent Awami League leaders such as SM Khaled Hossain Swapan, the president of Babuganj Upazila Awami League, and Md Aktaruzzaman Milon, the general secretary of the party.

Former upazila chairman Farzana Binte Wahab and other influential figures have also been accused in the case. 

In addition to the named individuals, the case lists 150 unidentified persons as accused.  

According to the complaint, during the 2018 national elections, the accused allegedly occupied polling stations in Babuganj's Thakur Mollick Government Primary School under Jahangirnagar Union. 

It also said armed individuals reportedly attacked polling agents of the BNP, set motorcycles on fire, and detonated bombs to seize control of the polling station. The complainant alleges these actions allowed the accused to commit electoral fraud and secure a manipulated victory.

Golam Kibria Tipu was arrested on 14 November in the Konda Union area of Keraniganj. Locals apprehended Tipu and handed him over to law enforcement. 

He is currently in custody.