"Set polling places on fire miscreants utilised petrol bombs, fire destroyed school supplies, such books, documents"

Rajshahi 3 constituencies saw four polling places—located in schools—set on fire early on Friday, January 5.

To set the voting places on fire, miscreants utilised petrol bombs. The fire destroyed school supplies, such as books and documents. Adjacent to a voting place, two hand explosives were discovered.

The concerned polling places are:

Jhina Primary School and Jotanshi Primary School in Bagha Upazila for the Rajshahi-6 constituency; Mohonpur High School in Mohonpur Upazila for the Rajshahi-3 constituency; and Akkelpur High School in Bagmara Upazila for the Rajshahi-4 constituency.

The Rajshahi district police spokesperson, Rafiqul Islam, the additional superintendent of police, said that numerous school supplies and records were burned, and that an inquiry is in progress to determine who is at fault.

At Bagmara, in front of Akkelpur High School, two hand bombs were discovered. According to him, a bomb disposal crew neutralised the bombs and the police guarded the area.

According to Arvind Sarkar, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Bagmara Police Station, miscreants targeted the Ganeepur Union polling place at Akkelpur High School.

They set the office chamber on fire by throwing a petrol bomb inside. Inside, the fire spread, causing books and papers to be damaged. The miscreants left two hand explosives at the school gate before fleeing when adjacent residents noticed the disturbance.

The police were dispatched to the area as soon as locals called the national emergency service number (999). He stated that the devices had been successfully neutralised by a bomb disposal crew.