The presiding officer and two assistant presiding officers were detained on Wednesday over allegation of accepting money from a mayoral candidate, HM Zainal Abedin, former president of Gaurnadi Upazila Awami League, in the Gaurnadi municipality by-election.聽
The detained are presiding officer on duty Sonali Bank鈥檚 Gaurnadi branch manager Saidur Rahman, assistant presiding officers North Kandpasha Government Primary School teacher Delwar Hossain, and National Women鈥檚 Organisation Gaurnadi Upazila coordinator Sanjoy Kumar Bhadra.
They were on duty at the male centre of the Government Pilot Secondary School under Gaurnadi municipality in the morning.
Muhammad Alauddin, regional election officer of Barishal, went to inspect the election polling process at the centre.
He said that the three were detained inside the polling centre with the help of the police along with Tk 23,000.聽
They said that the money was given to support Zainal Abedin on Tuesday, said Muhammad Alauddin, adding that the detained persons were handed over to the Gaurandi police for further legal action.
Gaurandi police station officer-in-charge (investigation) Anowar Hossain said that the detained persons were in the police custody, and the police would look into the matter as per the direction of the EC.
Alauddin Bhuiyan, a mayoral candidate with Coconut Tree symbol, alleged that voters were blocked in the way and being prevented from entering the polling station since the start of voting.
The supporters of Zainal Abedin with Mobile Phone symbol have become desperate to influence the polling booths, Alauddin said, adding that they were threatening voters to vote Zainal.
.There was an attack on Liton Bepari, a supporter of Alauddin, at Matsya Hatchery polling station of Ward 4, he alleged.
Thirty seven thousand 243 voters of the municipal area are scheduled to cast vote in 106 polling booths of 14 polling stations. Voter turnout, however, at the centres are low.
Four candidates are competing for the post of mayor, which became vacant as former mayor Harichur Rahman resigned from the post to compete in the upazila chairman election. 聽