Hero Alom assaulted near polling centre

Hero Alom, an independent candidate in the ongoing Dhaka-17 by-polls, was physically assaulted at a polling centre in Banani around 3:20pm today.

He was visiting the polling centre at the Banani Bidyaniketan School and College when the incident happened, our photographer reports from the spot.

Before Hero Alom entered the building, he took some selfies with fans on the playground of the school, and then some people came towards him and said that it was not a place to shoot TikTok videos. They then started to assault him physically, and even dragged him out after he had entered the corridor of the building. 

They chased him and hit him even as law enforcers led him away. A group of people then beat him indiscriminately on the street in front of the polling centre. 

He was finally able to get away on a car around 3:30pm.  

Contacted, Returning Officer Monir Hossain Khan said Hero Alom had gone to the polling centre with around 50-60 people, and law enforcement personnel ejected from the polling centre to maintain the law and order situation. 

He also said that the assault on the independent candidate took place outside the polling centre premises.  

"We will collect video footage and investigate the incident, and take action against those responsible."