Khulna: Widespread rigging and fraud have been reported in a union election on Tuesday. Fraudsters were found casting multiple votes in several polling centres, most openly in Agharghata Government Primary School centre, at Kapilmoni union of Paikgachha in Khulna.

In the Agharghata school centre, ruling party candidate’s canvassers were seen casting multiple ballots and stamping boat symbol in front of the polling officer.

The same incident happened in several other rooms of the polling centre.

Two persons were found stamping ballots at the same time.

In another centre of the union, Awami League candidate’s polling agents were found snatching ballots from the voters.

In Agharghata school centre, two Awami League activists were found casing multiple ballots in a room. This scene was captured in a video camera.

The polling officer refused to give his name and took no initiative against the fraudsters.

In a booth, two persons were seen stamping multiple ballot papers. When the polling officer understood the presence of camera, he took the persons out of the booth. 

In Malth Government Primary School polling centre, a physically handicapped person entered a room on crutches to cast his vote. When he got his ballot paper, ruling party men snatched his ballot and put another ballot paper in the ballot box.

Police and other law enforcing agencies were almost inactive against widespread vote rigging and election fraud.