During the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Sherpur-1 (Sadar), an incident of ballot theft and attempted voter manipulation was detected at a polling station, resulting in one individual being sentenced to three years in prison. Local authorities have confirmed that the situation has now stabilised and voting is proceeding smoothly.
The incident occurred on Thursday, 12 February, at the Nalbaiyad South Government Primary School polling centre in Char Moshoria Union. Presiding Officer Md. Shahidul Islam reported that voting had been progressing normally since the morning. However, at approximately 10:00 a.m., several unidentified individuals entered the centre and stole a total of three ballots from two separate rooms. Of these, two were designated for the parliamentary election and one for a voter referendum.
Following the theft, authorities successfully recovered one parliamentary ballot marked for the “Dhaner Sheesh” party. One parliamentary ballot and the referendum ballot remain unaccounted for. The army and law enforcement agencies swiftly intervened, restoring security at the polling centre.
Two individuals were arrested in connection with the theft:
| Name | Father’s Name | Age | Affiliation & Charge | Sentence / Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belal Hossain | Habibur Rahman | 48 | “Dhaner Sheesh” supporter; attempted voter fraud | Mobile court fined BDT 2,000; released |
| Md. Masud Mia | Abul Hasan | – | “Dhaner Sheesh” supporter; attempted voter fraud | Senior Chief Judicial Magistrate sentenced 3 years imprisonment |
Acting Magistrate Shibraj Chowdhury stated that, in addition to the stolen ballots, preliminary investigations identified approximately 25 fraudulent votes at the centre. Ballots lacking the Assistant Presiding Officer’s signature have been invalidated, while remaining suspicious votes will be rejected during the official count.
Upazila Executive Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Mahbuba Haque confirmed that the polling station is now fully secure. She emphasised that additional security measures have been implemented to safeguard the transparency of the electoral process and prevent recurrence in future elections.
The incident has heightened local concerns over the security and integrity of the voting process. Political analysts have noted that swift administrative intervention is essential to maintain public confidence in elections and to uphold the credibility of democratic institutions.
With election day proceeding under reinforced security, authorities remain vigilant to ensure that the remainder of the voting process concludes without further disruptions.