A fierce clash broke out between workers and supporters of two panels over the elections for the Karimpur Government Primary School Management Committee in Kalai, Joypurhat. At least 9 people from both panels, including a candidate from one panel, were injured in the incident. The clash took place on Monday, June 8, around 2:30 pm, during voting at the Karimpur Government Primary School polling station in the upazila. Local people admitted the injured to various health complexes. Police claim that additional police have been deployed there to control the situation. Currently, the situation is calm and the voting has ended. The injured are candidate Sheikh Shahangir Alam and his workers and supporters Sheikh Habibur Rahman, Mithan Mondal, Yusuf Ali and Sadiq Hossain, Munsur Rahman, Jewel Rana, Rashidul Islam and Rana Mia from the other panel. According to eyewitnesses and police sources, the authorities organized the election to select four guardian members to form the Karimpur Government Primary School Management Committee in Jindarpur Union of the upazila. Eight candidates from two panels led by Anisur Rahman and Sheikh Shahangir Alam and one independent candidate participated in the election. Voting began at 9 am on Monday after the campaigning. The number of voters is 340. Meanwhile, during the voting, around 2:30 pm, a clash broke out between activists and supporters of the two panels, who were competing for the position, while talking to a voter in the queue. In this, 9 people from the two panels, including candidate Sheikh Shahangir Alam, were injured. After receiving the information, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Eyewitness Saidur Rahman said that people from both panels are involved in BNP politics. Today’s incident is nothing new, it is just a pretext for voting. In fact, the fight was pre-planned.
Injured candidate Sheikh Shahangir Alam said, “People from Anisur panel have been threatening my people since before the election, thinking they will lose. Today, they have brought hired people from outside and beaten up my people including me. I will definitely file a case.”
Opponent candidate from the other panel, Anisur Rahman, said, “Truth will prevail. No matter how many excuses Sheikh Shahangir Alam makes, he has no excuse. More of my people have been beaten up and injured than him. First, I will give treatment to the people, and then I will file a case against them at the police station.”
Presiding Officer Upazila Assistant Education Officer Md. Tariqul Islam said, “Even though there was a fight outside, I did not stop voting.” The results were announced after the voting. However, the police came and calmed the situation in that incident.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kalai Police Station Rafiqul Islam said, no case has been filed yet in the clash. If any party files a complaint or case, legal action will be taken subject to investigation.
Kalai Upazila Executive Officer Shamim Ara said, “We have received reports of a fight. The police have calmed the situation. Those involved in the voting have returned to the upazila after declaring the results. If we receive a complaint about the fight, we will investigate the matter and take action.”