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The country witnessed a series of sabotage and violent clashes across several districts on Monday night and Tuesday although a significant number of military, paramilitary, and police forces were already deployed to ensure election security.
In Netrokona, miscreants set fire to five schools, including four designated polling centres on early Tuesday.
The affected centres are Parla Government Primary School in Sadar upazila, Sridharpur and Bamanmoha government primary schools in Nurpur, and Narandia Government Primary School in Purbadhala.
Additionally, Dakshin Bishiura High School, not being used as a polling centre, was also torched.
According to the teachers and locals, the fires occurred between 2am and 2:30am, burning benches, fans, and lighting equipment inside the schools. Locals intervened to bring the fires under control before further damage.
Police and other law enforcement agencies inspected the sites on Tuesday morning and launched investigations. Initial findings suggest that the fires were set through the back windows of the polling booths.
Md Tariqul Islam, superintendent of Netrokona district police, said, “We have inspected the scene. An investigation is underway to identify those involved. Legal proceedings will follow. Sufficient law enforcement personnel are deployed to ensure a fair and peaceful election.”
Violence was also reported in several other districts.
In Bogura, a clash between Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami activists left three people injured at Thalta Majgram in Nandigram around 11:30pm on Monday.
In Kishoreganj, a BNP procession in Tarail upazila was reportedly attacked by Jamaat supporters at Ward No. 6 of Digdair union, leaving the party’s General Secretary Sarwar Alam and several others injured around 8:30pm.
In Nilphamari, five people were injured in an attack on the electoral camp of Jatiya Party candidate Siddiqul Alam Siddique at Saidpur around midnight on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in Panchagarh-1, supporters of 11-party alliance candidate Sarjis Alam and BNP candidate Barrister Nawshad Zamir clashed in Ramjanpara of Dhamor union, injuring at least 13 people. No formal complaints have been filed in some of these incidents.
Contacted, Crime analyst Prof Omar Faruk said, “It is difficult to predict the election outcome. The environment has been generally calm, but tensions on voting day could escalate if candidates refuse to accept results. Given government weaknesses, the risk is considerable.”