Unidentified people set fire to four polling centres in Rajshahi and Feni districts Thursday night and early Friday, ahead of Bangladesh’s January 7 general election.
Three of the affected polling centres are in Rajshahi and the remaining one is in Feni.
No casualty was reported.
Reports received from Rajshahi said that unidentified people set fire to rooms of three polling centres -- Jina Government Primary School and an abandoned building in front of Jutanshi Government Primary School under Bagha Upazila and Ganipur Akkelpur High School under Bagmara upazila.
The fire burnt 15 chairs, tables, and other furniture of the office room of Jina Government Primary School while some books and furniture were burnt in the fire at Ganipur Akkelpur High School, New Age Correspondent in Rajshshai, quoting the police and school authorities, reported.
All the incidents in Rajshahi happened at the night following Thursday.
United News of Bangladesh reported that miscreants set fire to Charshaha Bhikari High School polling centre under Sonagazi upazila in the district Friday morning.
On information, a unit of Sonagazi fire station arrived at the scene and managed to bring the fire under control after an hour of effort.
Some furniture were damaged in the fire which gutted the school’s teachers’ auditorium.
Senior assistant superintendent of police (Sonagazi-Daganbhuiyan Circle) Tasnim Hossain said that police were investigating the incident to determine whether it was aimed at disrupting the polling activities.
Sonagazi Upazila assistant returning officer Kamrul Hasan mentioned that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
Additionally, security measures will be heightened during the upcoming election, said the election official.
Khair Ullah, the acting headmaster of the school, mentioned that during the school’s audit, President Dr. Abdul Haque relieved Headmaster Joynal Abedin from his position.source: newage
