Voters of the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) have been passing their
days amid extreme anxiety due to excessive presence of the outsiders
in the city ahead of the election.
Particularly the voters of the wards on the Bhairab River and the
Rupsha River, which are considered to be most vulnerable, have to pass
the time amid most anxiety.
Ward No 3 councillor candidate Sheikh Gaus Hossain said unknown people
vandalised his election camp twice in Palpara area on Wednesday.
Four supporters of him were also injured in the attack.
Khalid Hossain, son of a ward No 7 councillor candidate Sheikh Selim
Ahmed, alleged outsiders are snatching voter ID cards from slum people
in the ward and the matter has already been informed to the local
thana.
At the same ward, another councillor candidate M Sultan Ahmed alleged
that presence of outsiders increases abruptly there from afternoon to
evening daily.
Consequently, panic has spread among the local voters ahead of the
upcoming election.
M Faroque Hilton, a councillor candidate of ward No 10, alleged that
his supporters were facing threats from unknown people while joining
campaign.
Sheikh Soikat Ali, a councillor candidate of ward No 6, said election
enthusiasm is less in the area this time compared to the previous
election as the voters cannot express their opinions independently.
Locals told him that outsiders in 7/8 motorcycles are showing down
continuously in the ward.
SM Humayun Kabir, a councillor candidate of ward No 5, alleged his
supporters are continuously receiving many provocative remarks from
unknown people.
Musaddek Hossain Babul, a councillor candidate of ward No 13, alleged
new gangs have appeared at important points of the ward centering the
election and they (gang members) are brandishing weapons to locals.
Musaddek said the outsiders are mainly coming from the other side of
the nearby Bhairab River.
Contacted, Akhter Hossain, officer-in-charge of Daulatpur Police
Station, said none lodged any complaint in connection with the
incident of vandalism in the ward No 3 though he knew about it
unofficially.
Officer-in-charge Sukumer Biswas of Khalispur Police Station said he
was not informed about frequent visit of the outsiders there.
He assured of looking into the matter seriously.
(UNB, Khulna)
