Unidentified miscreants set fire to Election Commission offices in Bogra
and Feni on Tuesday, the first day of the two-day long
opposition-called nationwide blockade, rejecting the election schedule.
The Election Commission on Monday evening announced the schedule for the
10th parliamentary polls setting January 5 next year as the polling day
with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance
responding by calling 48-hours blockade of road, rail and waterways.
Shortly after the announcement of election schedule, opposition
activists blasted bombs in front of the election commission office in
Rajshahi and carried out vandalism in on the Khulna election office.
New Age Bogra correspondent reported that a group of unidentified
miscreants set on fire the Bogra sadar upazila election office located
at the Bogra Sadar Upazila Complex at Matidali leaving most of the
election documents, Identity Cards and other election materials burnt.
Witnesses said the miscreants also beat up an official of the office and vandalised computers of the office.
Upazila election officer Matiur Rahman said a group of 4-5 miscreants launched the attack at 12 noon.
The miscreants fled the
scene by charging crude bombs before setting ablaze a motorcycle parked on the complex premises.
Another group of miscreants launched an arson attack on the Feni sadar upazila election office in the early hours of Tuesday.
A good amount of translucent ballot box, nomination papers and other election materials were burnt in the arson attacks.
Feni sadar Thana Nirbahi Officer PK Enamul Karim said they were investing into the matter.
When his attention was drawn to the arson attacks on the election
offices, election commissioner Zabed Ali said it was the law enforcers
who will look into the matter. ‘I think they will be able to contain the
situation.’
Asked if law and order deteriorates further and if the election offices
continuously come under attack, he said, ‘There might be one or two
isolated incidents of such attacks across the country and we will remain
vigilant.’ (source)