Mymensingh Division’s 23 parliamentary constituencies successfully held the 13th election and referendum on Thursday, with voters turning out in notable numbers despite minor disruptions in some areas.
Voting began at 7:30am under strict law enforcement oversight and continued until 4:30pm. Lines at polling centres, including those at Nasirabad College, Mortujonjay School, and City Collegiate School, grew steadily as the day progressed, with strong participation from women and first-time voters.
Mymensingh District Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Saifur Rahman reported an overall turnout of 55.26% across 11 constituencies. While the atmosphere was largely festive, isolated incidents of ballot manipulation and clashes were reported.
In Gafargaon (Mymensingh-10), supporters of BNP reportedly clashed with Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ismail Hossain Sohel over allegations of fake votes.
At Bharadoba polling centre in Mymensingh-11’s Bhaluka constituency, supporters of the “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol forced out the agent of BNP’s rebel independent candidate representing the “Deer” symbol, and a video of him fleeing on foot quickly circulated on social media.
At Lohabaidari Government Primary School in Meduari Union, a group of youths attempted to tamper with ballot papers, temporarily halting voting for 30 minutes. The presiding officer was subsequently replaced, and several ballots were seized for investigation.
Sherpur-1 also witnessed ballot theft and fake voting early in the day, leading to the arrest of a local resident and the recovery of three ballot books. The offender was sentenced to three years in prison and fined Tk5,000. Another individual was fined Tk2,000 for violating election conduct rules.
Despite these incidents, election officials confirmed that the vast majority of polling centres operated smoothly, with law enforcement ensuring order. In Netrokona and Jamalpur districts, voting concluded without any major disturbances. Only minor incidents, such as the damage of a candidate’s vehicle in Purbo Dhola, were reported.
Overall, Thursday’s election in Mymensingh Division reflected a largely peaceful exercise of democracy, marked by strong voter engagement and vigilance by authorities.
