Third UZ polls
AL-backed candidates win most upazillas
Like December 29 national parliament elections, Awami League-backed candidates secured 304 seats of Chairman in Thursday’s upazila parishads election outplaying the BNP that got only 82 seats of Chairman, according to unofficial results.
According to unofficial results, the AL bagged 304 seats while BNP got 82 and Jatiya Party, Jamaat and independent candidates won rest 73 seats of Chairman.
The crucial third upazila parishads elections was held simultaneously throughout the country on Thursday amid clashes and ballot hijack at a number of polling centers that prompted the Election Commission to call off the polls in six upazilas.
Meanwhile, BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury talking to reporters said most of the people didn’t go to the polling centers for casting their votes in upazila elections as their expectations and hopes were not reflected in the December 29 general elections.
“As people became fed up in the general election, they were discouraged to go to the polling centers for exercising their votes in the upazila elections. The Election Commission has totally failed to arrange a free, fair and impartial election. I won’t ask them (Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners) to resign. If they are not shameless and have sense of prestige, they should quit from their respective posts and positions,” he added.
Meanwhile, ruling out Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda’s comment, State Minister for Home Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj said the elections were held freely.
He differed with the CEC comment saying, “Considering the overall situation, the CEC should not make any comment. I think that the elections in 99 percent upazilas were held freely.”
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com