Thakurgaon:Dhaka Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the Thakurgaon-1 by-election, accusing election officials of misconduct that could pave the way for fraudulent voting practices.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Porwar claimed that at various polling centres, ballot book counterfoils had been stamped and signed ahead of time, creating potential for fake voting. He reported instances where voters were obstructed from reaching polling stations, and in some cases, found that their votes had been cast before they arrived.
Porwar made these allegations during a press briefing at the Jamaat-e-Islami central office in Dhaka. He cited an incident involving a woman who was informed that her vote had already been cast when she attempted to vote. He called for an investigation into these allegations and demanded accountability for those involved.
Moreover, Porwar alleged that voters faced intimidation, party activists were attacked, and polling agents were either barred from performing their duties or expelled from polling centres. He also raised concerns about presiding and polling officers lacking proper identification badges, thus questioning the credibility of election officials.
Further allegations included intimidation of Hindu voters and pressure on government employees and educational institution staff concerning their support for Jamaat's 'daripalla' symbol. There were also claims of vote-buying through monetary incentives within the constituency.
Porwar criticized the Election Commission for not taking effective measures against these irregularities, mentioning that a Jamaat delegation had previously met with the chief election commissioner to submit complaints and demands. He emphasized that merely deploying law enforcement was insufficient to ensure a fair election, suggesting that army involvement could have safeguarded the voting process.
He warned that failing to address these irregularities would cast doubt on the impartiality of future elections at various administrative levels.