Ballot paper book found in paddy field

Police seize a book containing a hundred ballot papers from a pipe meant for irrigation at a paddy field in Brahmanbaria yesterday. Photo: Star

Police recovered a book of ballot papers sealed with 'sheaf of paddy' symbol from inside a pipe of an irrigation tube-well in a paddy field near a polling centre at Brahmanbaria-2 constituency.

Ashuganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Badrul Alam Talukder confirmed the matter to this correspondent.

The OC, quoting eyewitnesses, said locals saw the ballot paper book around 100 metres from Khoriala Government Primary School centre of Ashuganj upazila on Monday noon. The upazila nirbahi officer informed the police who rushed to the spot and recovered the book in the afternoon.

The book contained 100 pages (0269201 to 0269300), of which 28 pages (0269246 to 0269273) were marked with 'sheaf of paddy' symbol.

Officials check the ballot papers, 28 of them sealed with 'sheaf of paddy' symbol, following the recovery. Photo: Star

The front page of the book had “Jatiya Sangsad Nirbachan 244 Brahmanbaria-2, book no 2693” written on it.

The book was handed over to Ashuganj Assistant Commissioner (Land). The next step in this regard will be taken by the higher authorities, the OC added.

Jashim Uddin, an agent of 'rose' symbol, said voting in the polling centre was continuing peacefully but supporters of 'paddy sheaf' tried to snatch the ballot papers around 11:30am and the situation turned violent. Police opened fire to bring the situation under control. As a result, voting was stopped for the time being.

Later, counting was completed without the missing ballot book. In the counting, 'sheaf of paddy' got 663 votes, 'bunch of banana' 413 votes and 'lion' 72 votes. The total number of votes in this centre is 2403.

Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Hayat-Ud-Dowllah Khan, also the returning officer, said particulars of the missing ballot book are being collected and necessary steps will be taken. The total result of the constituency has not been announced as polling was suspended in three more centres of the upazila. The result will be announced after re-election in those centres.

Former state minister Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan was BNP nominated candidate in this constituency. Awami League (AL) had no candidate there. Though AL gave the seat to Jatiya Party, Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan with 'plough' symbol withdrew in favour of his father in-law Ziaul Haque Mridha, who was deprived of JP nomination and contested as independent candidate with 'lion' symbol.

The contest took place between BNP's Sattar and independent candidate Moin Uddin Moin with 'bunch of banana' symbol.

• The Daily Star / jan 2, 2019