Dhaka 17 BNP candidate Partho alleges agents being pulled out of centres

BNP candidate for Dhaka 17 candidate Andaleeve Rahman Partho has alleged that his polling agents have been forcefully thrown out of different centres in his constituency. 

Partho, contesting under the BNP led 20-party alliance, made the allegation to this correspondent over a phone call around 8:20am on Sunday. 

Chief polling agent for BNP in Dhaka 17 constituency, Wasequr Rahman told this correspondent: "Around 80% of our agents have been thrown out of the centres by the presiding officer on trivial grounds."

During a visit to the Government Titumir College centre – one of the centres under the Dhaka 17 constituency consisting of three booths –this correspondent found mostly young voters waiting outside the centre to cast their votes.

Presiding officer Md Nur-e-Alam said voting has been going on peacefully since 8am, and no complaints have been made yet.

Sub-Inspector TM Faridul Alam, the on-duty police officer at the centre, said: "48 members of law enforcement agencies, including Ansar, have been deployed at the centre. The situation is under control."

From the Dhaka 17 constituency, Akbar Hossain Pathan (Farooque) is contesting against Partho with Awami League's boat symbol. About 314,000 voters are expected to cast their votes in 125 centres in the constituency.