Dhaka-17 by-polls: Hero Alam Alleges Harassment of Polling Agents

Ashraful Hossen Alom, also known as Hero Alom, a contender for the Dhaka-17 MP seat, claims that several of his poll workers were subjected to harassment at the Banani Model High School polling place. 

He claimed that members of the law enforcement community did not permit the poll workers to remain at the center.

Around 10:10 on Monday morning, after visiting the Banani Model High School polling place, he made the remarks.

Mahbubul Alam, the presiding officer, stated that no such harassing event occurred there. 

According to him, officials instructed some of Hero Alom's polling agents to attach images to their ID cards because some of them did not have any.

Independent candidate Hero Alom, who carried the "Ektara" sign, declared he would stay on the ground until the very end. He claimed that it would be challenging to conduct impartial polls in such an environment.

The independent candidate for MP reported that the voter turnout was low and that he had only been to seven to eight polling places since the morning.

Balloting for the Dhaka-17 by-polls began at 8am on Monday. The voting will continue till 4pm. 

Voters were seen at several polling centres in Banani and Gulshan since 7am amidst the rain. 

The number of voters is 325,205 under 125 polling stations in the Dhaka-17 constituency, which comprises wards 15,18,19 and 20 of Dhaka North City Corporation as well as the Dhaka cantonment area.

A total of eight MP candidates are contesting in the by-polls. The candidates are Mohammad Arafat (Boat), Ashraful Hossen Alom alias Hero Alom (Ektara), Major (retd) Sikder Anisur Rahman (Plough), Kazi Md Rashedul Hassan Rashed (Rose), Major (retd) Sheikh Habibur Rahman (Sonali Aash), Rezaul Islam Swapan (Green Coconut), Mohammad Akhter Hossain (Chari) and Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan (Truck).