2 shot outside poll centre in Cumilla

At least two people were shot in a clash centring the ongoing city corporation by-election in Cumilla on Saturday.

The firing took place outside the Munshi M Ali High School poll centre under Ward No-19 of the city around 10:00am on Saturday (March 9).

Returning officer Md Farhad Hossain said, “There have been incidents of shootings, injuring two persons. I still cannot confirm whose supporters were shot or how it happened.”

Meanwhile, Nizam Uddin Kaiser, participating in the election with horse symbol, claimed that the injured two persons are his supporters.

He said, “My activists have been shot. Supporters of bus symbol candidate Tahsin Bahar Suchana carried out the attack. They are spreading fear everywhere, so that our voters cannot go to the centre.”

He further said, “Voters are preparing to come to the centre and many are on the way. Cadres of bus symbol, identified goons of Cumilla, are blocking the voters in different areas across the city. In Ward No-3, my agents were attacked under the leadership of Councilor Javed. One of my agents was injured there and admitted to the hospital. Our agents have been prevented from entering poll centres at various places including Ashoktala and Kasaipatti. I went and confirmed the presence of my agents inside the poll centres.”

Meanwhile, voting is being held in 105 poll centres in the city. Nine executive magistrates, 12 platoons of BGB, 27 RAB teams, 27 mobile police teams and nine striking forces are on duty in the field to conduct the elections smoothly, said returning officer Farhad Hossain.

Mentionable, voting is being held through EVM in 27 wards of Cumilla City Corporation. Some 2,42,458 voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the election. Of them, 1,18,182 are male voters while 1,28, 278 are female. Besides, there are two third gender voters.