13 polling centres torched in nine districts since Friday night

Arson attacks have been reported at 13 polling centres in nine districts since Friday night.

Fires were reported in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Tangail, Shariatpur, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Khulna and Barguna, reports bdnews24.com.

The 12th national parliamentary election will be held on Sunday. On Thursday, five polling centres were set on fire in Rajshahi and Feni.

Twenty-eight parties are contesting the election, but several other parties, including the BNP, are boycotting the polls after their demand for an impartial election-time government was not met. In response, the BNP called a hartal from 6:00 am on Sunday to 6:00 am Monday to press for its demand to boycott the polls.

bdnews24.com correspondents have sent in reports from different districts on the attacks.

SUNAMGANJ

The polling centre at the Garakata Government Primary School in Madhyanagar Upazila's Bangshikunda South Union was set on fire in the early hours of Saturday.

"A polling centre was set up at the Garakata Government Primary School," said Sub Inspector Kamal Hossain of Madhyanagar Police Station. "The school was locked on Friday night. Two village police 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."

"We went to the scene with police personnel when the incident was reported," said Atish Chakma, the Madhyanagar Upazila executive officer and assistant returning officer. "We are looking into the matter seriously. We are trying to find those responsible for the fire."

TANGAIL

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

Head Teacher Nazmul Anam said the fire had burnt one door and partially burnt another in the building.

The night watchman reported the fire in the morning, he said. He rushed to the school to find two doors on fire. The fire was then quickly put out.

Mohammad Lokman Hossain, chief of Tangail Sadar Police Station, said that there was no damage as the locals extinguished the fire. Attempts are being made to arrest those involved in the incident.

MYMENSINGH

Two polling centres - Parshipara Government Primary School at Ward 3 in Gafargaon Union of Gafargaon Upazila and Haripur Government Primary School of Singrail Union in Nandail Upazila - were set ablaze on Saturday morning in Mymensingh.

Gafargaon Upazila, executive officer and Assistant Returning Officer Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, said, "The fire service went and brought the fire under control after receiving it was reported at the Parashipara Government Primary School centre. Whether the incident was due to an electrical short circuit or sabotage is under investigation."

However, there was not much damage from the fire, he said, adding that the centre was still prepared for the election.

Abdul Majid, chief of Nandail Police Station, said, "We are trying to find out how the fire broke out at the Haripur Government Primary School centre. Initially, miscreants are believed to have started the fire."

He said that voting would still occur at the centre as it had not suffered much damage.

GAZIPUR

Arson incidents were reported at the East Chandana Government Primary School centre and the Banshtali Government Primary School centre in Kaliakoir Upazila in the Wireless Gate area of Gazipur city on Saturday morning.

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

"The cupboard began burning. The staff of Joydevpur Fire Station and Gazipur-Chowrasta Modern Fire Station went and extinguished the fire when it was reported. Books and some important documents in the cupboard were burnt in the fire."

Apart from this, an office room at Banshtali Government Primary School was set on fire sometime during the night, said Iftekhar Rayhan, station officer for the Kaliakor Fire Service.

Stating that some new books and educational materials from the office were burnt in the fire, he said that the locals rushed to the spot and extinguished the flames when it was spotted.