Six people, including a polls official, have been shot dead in Rangamati after the vehicle carrying them came under attack on Monday (Mar 18).
Several others, including security personnel, have been wounded when unidentified men armed with semi-automatic firearms ambushed the vehicle at the hill tract district’s Baghaichhari Upazila town, said police.
They were taking election materials to the Upazila Sadar from a polling station in Sajek Union, Baghaichhari police OC MM Manjurul Alam told Bangla Tribune.
The dead polls official has been identified as Md Amir Hossain, a teacher at a local primary school.
Four others, including two women, killed in the ambush were members of Ansar and VDP.
They have been have been identified as Md Al Amin, Mihir Kanti Dutta, Bilkis Akter and Zahanara Begum.
Locals identified the sixth dead victim as one Mantu Chakma, whose bullet-hit body they say was found in a roadside bush.
According to witnesses, the security personnel retaliated when the gunmen attacked and Chakma was caught in the cross-firing.
Baghaichhari Upazila administration chief (UNO) Nadim Sarwar said the injured were being airlifted to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
Rangamati Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Alamgir Kabir said that they have opened investigations and launched raids to nab the perpetrators.
Sources confirmed that members of the army and Bangladesh Border Guard bases in Rangamati have moved to the spot and that a joint raid will be conducted.
Rangamati’s Additional Deputy Commissioner SM Shafi Kamal said the polling centres where the victim election officials carried out their duty were at Baghaihat and Baghaichhari.
“They were attacked around 6:45pm when they were returning to Baghaichhari via Sajek road,” said Shafi, also the returning officer, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Eyewitness accounts from locals painted the picture of an ambush, with some saying the attackers were apparently waiting on a roadside hillock for the vehicles of the election officials.
They said several unidentified men carrying semi-automatic firearms had sprayed the vehicles with bullets from their position, leaving multiple people dead and injured at the scene.
On information, members of Bangladesh Army and Border Guard Bangladesh rushed in, rescued the victims with the help of locals and took them to state-run hospital in Baghaichhari town.
No individual or group has claimed credit for the attack yet as authorities scramble to identify the attackers.
Baghaichhari, Naniarchar and Kaukhali Upazilas in Rangamati went to polls on Monday in the phase-2 of the Upazila council elections.
Four candidates of Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samiti or PCJSS led by Jyotirindro Bodhipriyo Larma, known as Santu Larma, announced boycott of the elections alleging irregularities.
In a statement, Baghaichhari Upazila chairman candidate Boro Rishi Chakma, and vice-chairman candidates Sumita Chakma, Samiran Chakma and Amarshanti Chakma have demanded postponement of voting and re-election.
They alleged supporters of Sudarshan Chakma, the chairman candidate of “a PCJSS faction backed by the ruling Awami League, stuffed ballot boxes with the help of security forces”.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has condemned the attack describing it as “cowardice and barbaric”.
In a statement, the commission expressed deep shock at the killing and extended sympathy to the family members of the victims.
The commission has already instructed authorities concerned to take necessary step for ensuring treatment of the injured victims, it said.
They came under attack when they were returning to the Returning officer’s office along with election result and other electoral equipment after ending vote counting, the statement read.
