Male villagers flee homes fearing arrest

The people of several villages of three unions of Mathbaria upazila and Bhandaria upazilas under the district are passing days amid fear of arrest as a case was filed against 1,300 unnamed locals, following the death of five men in firing by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Safa Degree College polling centre premises in Mathbaria upazila on Monday evening.

"A large number of males of several villages left the area for Dhaka by launch in fear of arrest although no one has so far been arrested in connection with the incident," said Bellal Talukder, a resident of Burirchar village under Dhanisafa union of Mathbaria.

"We are in fear of arrest as the accused are unnamed," said Tarikul Islam, another local.

However, Khandakar Mostafizur Rahman, officer in charge of Mathbaria Police Station, said there is nothing to fear as only the guilty people will face action after investigation.

On Monday evening, around 3,000 people, mostly from Telekhali union of Bhandaria and Tushkhali union of Mathbaria upazila, encircled the executive magistrate, the presiding officer and law enforcers when they were coming out after declaration of the result of Safa Degree College polling centre in Dhanisafa union under Mathbaria upazila.

Led by a local Awami League leader, the agitators, many of them armed with sticks and sharp weapons, demanded that the presiding officer declare some 700 void votes valid.

As they tried to force the officials to meet the illegal demand, the situation turned worse.

At one stage, the magistrate ordered the BGB members to fire. Five people were killed and several others injured in the incident.

On Wednesday night, Md Sanowar Ali, a sub-inspector, who was on duty at the polling centre, filed a case accusing around 1,300 unnamed locals of this incident.