No anomalies, no threat

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday claimed the city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong were held in a fair, peaceful and festive manner.

He said that except for some stray incidents, the commission found no irregularities while visiting some polling centres in the capital. He thanked all for helping hold a “fair election”.

"No agents or voters complained of any irregularities. None faced any threats on their way to polling centres," the CEC told a press conference at the Election Commission Secretariat in the evening.

He also said when some unwanted incidents occurred, the commission took steps immediately.

Voting was suspended at three centres in Dhaka South City Corporation as the situation there went beyond control. They are Kamalapur Sher-e-Bangla Railway High School, Ashraf Ali Khan Adarsha High School and Suritola Model Govt Primary School.

In some other centres, voting was temporarily postponed, he said, adding that they had taken measures wherever they received complaints of rigging.

The EC boss also urged all parties to accept the election results.

Talking to reporters at his EC Secretariat office around 10:30am, Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz said he had visited around 15 to 20 polling centres in the capital.

Voting was being held peacefully everywhere except for one centre in Shuritola Primary School where the balloting has been suspended for an unwanted reason, he said.

Asked about several instances where journalists were barred from entering polling centres hours after voting began, he said, “I have directed the law enforcers to allow the media persons to discharge their duties without any hassles.”