Sherpur Ballot Theft Leads to Three-Year Sentence

During the Thirteenth National Parliament elections in Sherpur-1 (Sadar), a serious incident of ballot book theft and attempted voter fraud occurred, resulting in a three-year prison sentence for one individual. Local authorities have reported that the situation at the polling centre has since stabilised, and voting has continued without disruption.

The incident took place on Thursday, 12 February, at the Nalbaiad South Government Primary School polling centre in Char Mochoria Union of Sadar Upazila. Presiding Officer Md. Shahidul Islam stated that voting had been proceeding smoothly from the morning. However, shortly before 10:00 am, several unidentified individuals forcibly entered the centre and absconded with three ballot books stored in two separate rooms. Among these, two books were designated for the national parliamentary election, while the third was for a referendum.

Subsequently, authorities recovered one of the parliamentary ballot books, which contained votes marked for the "Dhaner Shish" (Rice Sheaf) symbol. However, one parliamentary ballot book and the referendum ballot book remain missing. Military personnel and law enforcement officers swiftly intervened to restore order and secure the polling station.

Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the theft:

Executive Magistrate Shibraj Chowdhury noted that, in addition to the stolen ballot books, preliminary information indicated that approximately 25 forged votes had been cast at the centre. Ballots lacking the signature of the assistant presiding officer have been identified for annulment. Some fraudulent ballots were immediately cancelled, while the remainder will be invalidated during vote counting.

Upazila Executive Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Mahbuba Haque confirmed that the polling centre is now fully secure. She added that authorities are conducting a thorough investigation and are implementing additional security measures to prevent similar incidents in future elections.

The event has provoked strong reactions among local residents, highlighting widespread concerns about the integrity and safety of the voting process. Political analysts emphasise that the administration’s proactive measures are critical to ensuring transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.