CCC polls: Police detain BNP candidate in Patharghata

The voting of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election has begun at 8am today. 

Seven candidates are vying for the mayoral office, while 172 contest for councillors and 57 for reserved councillor's polls. 

Around 19, 38, 706 voters will decide the mayor today by electronic voting machines (EVMs). The voting began around 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break.

Latest updates on the polls-

4.58 : Central AL leader Riazul Kabir Kawser made allegations of violence against BNP.

3:30 pm : Islami Andolan Bangladesh has boycotted the CCC election. 

3: 30 pm : Police have detained rebel AL Councillor candidate Zahurul Alam Jasim of Ward 9 (Pahartali) on charges of election violence.

2:30 pm : Assistant Presiding Officer Mohammad Main Uddin (28) of Char Patharghata Girls' High School center in Ward 27 has been injured. Police on duty at the medical college said he was injured in an attack at the center by miscreants.

2:00 pm : BNP mayoral candidate Dr Shahadat Hossain has come to the office of the returning officer to file complain about irregularities in the CCC election. However, the returning officer allegedly left his office right before Dr Shahdat arrived. 

1:20 pm : Morshed Akter Chowdhury, an AL rebel councillor candidate in Ward No 11 (South Kattli) has boycotted the election terming it a 'farce'.

1:00 pm : Police have detained Ismail Hossain Bali, BNP-backed councillor candidate for Ward 34, from his home at Patharghata after clashes ensued between his and AL candidates supporters. 

12:30 pm : BNP Councillor candidate for reserved wards 14, 15, 21 Manowar Begum Moni boycotted the election.

12:00 pm : At least 30 people have been injured in the violence in different parts of the city according to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police outpost ASI Alauddin Talukder. 

11:30 am : Voting at Patharghata Girls' High School and JM Sen School has been temporarily suspended after clashes ensued between supporters of AL and BNP councillor candidates. 

11:00 am : An activist named Alauddin was killed during a clash between the supporters of Awami league-backed Mayoral candidate Wasim Uddin and AL rebel candidate Mahmudur Rahman in Pahartoli in the Chattogram city at 10:30am today.

10:45 am : Earlier in the day, a Chhatra League activist, named Nizum Uddin Munna, was stabbed and slaughtered by his brother Salauddin Kamrul at one stage of altercation over the polls in Diamond Church Community Centre area. They were supporters of two different candidates. 

10:30 am : Polling agents of AL rebel candidate Delawar Hossain have allegedly been beaten up at Katalanj Government Primary School center of Chawkbazar area at around 10:30 am. 

9:30 am : BNP's mayoral candidate Dr Shahadat Hossain has accused that BNP's election agents were being kicked out from the centres. He was speaking to reporters after casting his vote at the West Bakalia BEd College.

"My family members have been forced out from the polling centres. In two and a half hours, only 9 out of 336 votes were cast in this centre. They have taken all kinds of tactics to prevent voters from coming to the polls. Our party agents are being kicked out of the centre. By 9 am, 15 of our workers were injured, shot and stabbed," Shahadat claimed

9:00 am : Awami League mayoral candidate Rezaul Karim Chowdhury cast his vote at Bahaddarhat Ekhlashur Rahman Government Primary School in the city's East Sholashahar ward. "I'm 100% optimistic about my victory," he told the reporters after casting vote.

Irregularities alleged inside Ctg city polls booth

A number of irregularities took place during Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election since the vote casting started in the morning.

Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at different centres' were found to have one person with each voter in secret voting room. Moreover, voters also alleged that their votes had already been casted.

Clash 

A clash was taken place between the supporters of AL backed councilor candidate Abul Hasnat Belal and AL rebel candidate Kabir Ahmed Manik in front of Shahid Nagaor City Corporation girl's high school polling center in Lalkhan Bazar on Wednesday morning . 

The supporters of both group locked into clash immediate after the voting started. 

Following the clash, the voting remain suspended from 8:30am to 9:15am. 

Awami League backed councilor candidate Abul Hasnat Belal supporters claimed that in the clash at least 10 supporters were injured.

Boshir Ahmed, presiding officer of the center told TBS," As the clashes were held outside of the polling center - it has no impact on the casting vote."

Monwara Begum Moni, a BNP backed candidate from reserved ward alleged that she was barred to enter into polling center by AL men to cast her vote. She also alleged that in her reserved ward- Lalkhan Bazar. Bagmonirum and Zamal Khan wards at 44 polling stations all BNP agents were pushing out by the AL candiates.
 
Visiting Birds' Kindergarten School and City Corporation Councilor Ward office polling centers at Lalkhan Bazar ward no polling agents of BNP led candidates were seen. Visiting Bahaddarhat Eklasur Govt' Primary School polling center no BNP backed candidates agents were found. 

In the center AL supporters were seen pushing out a BNP supporter when he came to cast his vote. 
 
AL backed Mayor Candidate Rezaul Karim Chowdhury cast his vote at 9am at Ekklasur Govt' Primary School. 
 
The polls are going on at 40 wards under party banner. In the election there are 32 AL rebel candidates vying for councilor posts. So, there is fear of clashes among the voters.
Voting in the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election, which was postponed 10 months ago due to Covid-19 pandemic, began on Wednesday. 

CMP flags 417 centres 

Police said they have taken all-out preparation to avert any untoward incident centring the elections. 

The CMP has marked 417 centres of the total 735 polling stations as important or risky, and taken up special security measures for them.

8,000 police personnel deployed  alongside with 25 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) men.

 The risky or important centres will have six cops and 12 Ansar personnel while a general polling station will have four policemen and 12 Ansar members.

On top of this, there will be police patrols, plainclothes and CMP detectives deployed. 

The bomb disposal unit, counter-terrorism and SWAT members will also be ready as the striking force. 

The CMP commissioner said they have estimated the risks factors and have taken preparation as accordingly.