Staff Correspondent

At least 17 polling centres were set ablaze in 10 districts since early Saturday, said sources.

Fires at polling centres were reported in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Tangail, Shariatpur, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Khulna and Barguna districts.

Besides, Ranjit Kumar Dey, a Village Defence Party (VDP) member who was on duty at a polling centre at Baliakandi in Rajbari district, was found dead early Saturday.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Baliakandi Police Station Alamgir Hossain said they primarily suspected that Ranjit was killed.

The deceased was guarding Char Arkandi Government Primary School along with its night guard Mohammad Yusuf.

Quoting Yusuf, the police said that Ranjit went out of the school around 3:30 am to respond to use a washroom.
Later, his body was found in a bush behind the school, said OC Alamgir.

Polling centres, election camps set ablaze in Gazipur
Miscreants set fire to the East Chandana Government Primary School and the Banshtali Government Primary School polling centres in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur on Saturday morning, said sources.

Md Abdullah-Al-Arefin, deputy assistant director of the Gazipur Fire Service, said, “At around 1:30 pm on Saturday, miscreants poured petrol on a cupboard through the window of an office room inside East Chandana Government Primary School in Gazipur city, and set it on fire.

“The staff of Joydevpur Fire Station and Gazipur-Chowrasta Modern Fire Station extinguished the fire.”
Apart from that, an office room at Banshtali Government Primary School was set on fire during the night, said Iftekhar Rayhan, station officer for the Kaliakoir Fire Service.

Election camps of Awami League nominated candidate Gazipur-3, Rumana Ali, was set ablaze in Sreepur, while the camp of Gazipur-2 candidate Md Jahid Ahsan Rasel was set on fire in the city’s north Rajbari area.

Police said the campaign offices were set on fire at some point on Friday night near the Shafiq Intersection in Mulaid Village and the Rajbari Water Tank.

The incidents will be investigated and legal actions will be taken against the miscreants, said Md Shah Zaman, officer in charge of Sreepur police station.

Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service, said, “Firefighters from Joydebpur Fire Station put out the blaze with the help of local people.”

Polling centre, pick-up van torched in Chattogram
Unidentified miscreants set a polling centre and a pickup van on fire in Chattogram early Saturday.

Sources said miscreants set fire to the Nishchintapara Government Primary School in Dakkhin Madhyam Halishahar area of Chattogram city.

Md Shamim Mian, senior station officer of the Bandar Fire Service and Civil Defence station, said upon receiving information, two units of firefighters rushed to the spot around 5:00 am and doused the blaze after a frantic effort of an hour.

“The headmaster’s room at the school was set on fire first. The blaze later engulfed the adjoining rooms,” said Officer in-Charge (OC) Manjur Kader of Bandar police station.

“Around 70 books kept for distribution among the students were gutted in the fire,” he said.

Asked about the origin of the fire, the police officer said, "The door and windows of the room were locked. We are investigating the matter.”

OC Manjur also said the school could be used as the polling station even after the fire.

Some unidentified miscreants set a goods-laden pickup van on fire in Sitakunda upazila in the district, ahead of the hartal called by BNP and like-minded parties.

Firefighters from Sitakunda Fire Service station rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after a frantic effort of an hour, said Nurul Alam Dulal, senior station officer.

The drums containing goods as well as the pickup van were gutted in the fire, he said.

The police arrested a number of activists of opposition parties claiming that they were involved in the attacks.

4 polling centres set ablaze in Netrokona
Four schools designated as polling centres came under arson attacks in Netrokona's Kendua upazila early Saturday, said sources at the police. The schools are Dauki Government Primary School, Durchapur Government Primary School, Baghber Government Primary School, and Durgapur Government Primary School.

Quoting locals, Kendua Police Station Officer-in-charge Md Enamul Haque said the arson attacks began around 1:00 am Saturday.

Locals and policemen brought the blazes under control immediately and no major damage was reported.

In Mymensingh, Parshipara Government Primary School at Ward-3 in Gafargaon union of Gafargaon upazila and Haripur Government Primary School in Singrail Union of Nandail upazila were set ablaze on Saturday morning.

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, assistant returning officer in Gafargaon upazila, said upon receiving information, firefighters went to Parashipara Government Primary School and doused the fire.

“Investigation is going on to find out whether the incident was due to an electrical short circuit or sabotage,” he added.
Arson attacks on Sunamganj, Habiganj, Tangail.

In Sunamganj, a polling centre set up at the Garakata Government Primary School in Madhyanagar upazila's Bangshikunda South union was set on fire in the early hours of Saturday.

“The school was locked on Friday night. Two Village Police members were on guard in one of the rooms. Suddenly, they noticed the fire and screamed out. Locals rushed to the location and brought the fire under control,” said Sub Inspector Kamal Hossain of Madhyanagar police station.

Miscreants set fire to an abandoned room of Kandila Government Primary School in Ward-1 of the Tangail Municipality around 6:00 am on Saturday.

In Habiganj, a fire broke out in a government primary school polling station adjacent to Lakshmipur Market in Chunarughat upazila at midnight.

Hillol Roy, officer in charge of Chunarughat police station, said that firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control once it was reported. The incident will be investigated, and legal action will be taken.

Two polling centres in Barguna were set on fire, said Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.
Superintendent of Police in Shariatpur Mahbubul Alam said miscreants set fire to the polling centre at Charmohan Sureshwar Primary School in Naria Upazila's Gharisha union but no damage was reported.

In Khulna, Bagmara Government Primary School centre in Rupsha upazila and Tipna Government Primary School in Dumuria Upazila's Kharnia union came under arson attacks but no damage was reported.