Polling agents being driven out in Cumilla, candidates allege
In the first two hours after the start of Cumilla mayoral by-polls, three mayoral candidates brought allegations that the supporters of Tahsin Bahar Suchona -- daughter of Cumilla-6 lawmaker AKM Bahauddin Bahar -- have been driving out the agents from the polling centres.
They accused that the supporters and activists of Suchona were also intimidating the voters, mostly female voters, during the polls which is witnessing thin presence of voters.
Shuchona is contesting the polls with the "Bus" symbol.
"I have received news that there were irregularities in ward no 5 and 6. My polling agents tried twice to enter the centre but they were driven out. Now they (agents) don't want to go there out of fear," Monirul Hoque Sakku said after casting his vote at Nabab Hoccham Haider High School centre.
"The supporters of Bus symbol are not allowing agents to enter Riazuddin High School centre in ward no 5, Haroon School in ward no 6 and Alia Madrasa centre," he said.
Agents were beaten and were not allowed to enter in Comilla High School centre, Sakku added.
Another candidate Noor-Ur Rahman Mahmud Tanim raised the same allegations.
"At various centres, my agents were driven out; they were not allowed to enter. Women voters were forced to go back home at some centres too," Tanim said while talking to reporters after casting his vote at the Cumilla Victoria Collegiate School centre.
He accused the supporters and activists of the candidates of "Bus" symbol for the allegations.
Tanim alleged such incidents took place at Comilla High School centre, Ashoktala Latifa Niroda Sundari Primary School centre and Khaliazuri centre.
"So far, supporters of Bus symbol are preventing voters from coming to the centres. They are threatening voters and sending them back to their homes. They also threatened supporters of other candidates, including my ones, in the morning and asked them not to go to the voting centres," said Tanim.
Nizam Uddin Qaiser, who is vying with "Horse" symbol, said, "In wards 3, 5 and 7, my voter-agents are being evicted by the bus symbol supporters. They brought people from outside, who are preventing voters from entering polling centres."
He was talking to reporters after casting his vote at the Victoria Collegiate School Centre around 10:00am.
Contacted, Returning Officer Farhad Hossain said, "There were no such incidents like driving the agents out. There are complaints that the agents were not being allowed to enter the centres. Our officials are going to the centres to address the issue."
While visiting to various areas of the city in the first hour of the polls, our reporters saw supporters of Suchona standing outside the polling booths.
Victoria College Chhatra League workers were seen at many places including Kaptan Bazar and Islamia Adarsh High School centres in the city. They are followers of MP Bahar.
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