Several voters in the North Kattali area of Chattogram city have alleged that, due to confusion over the voter list, they were unable to cast their votes even after going to the polling centre. However, election officials have stated that after verification, instructions were given to allow voting.
For Sabhir Ahmed, a resident of North Kattali with voter serial number 3726, the Election Commission’s app showed his polling centre to be North Kattali Munshipara Government Primary School. But upon arriving at the centre, Presiding Officer AKM Lutful Karim informed him that votes were being taken for serial numbers only up to 3725 at that centre.
According to him, excluding postal votes, there are a total of 3691 votes at the center.
Two other voters faced the same situation. One of them is Niaz Mahmud, whose serial number is 3743. The other is Morshedur Rahman Chowdhury. He said, “Coming to vote for the first time, my name was shown at the centre, yet I was not allowed to cast my vote.”
When contacted about the matter by TIMES of Bangladesh, the Assistant Returning Officer for the Kattali area in the Chattogram-4 constituency, Mehedi Hasan, initially took time to verify. Later, he informed that some voters on the list had been transferred elsewhere, creating gaps in the serial numbers.
Those whose center is shown as this school will be able to vote, stating that instructions regarding this matter had been given to the presiding officer.
Following this instruction, they were eventually allowed to vote.
