At least nine polling stations were set on fire by unidentified arsonists in Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Sherpur and Habiganj districts ahead of the Sunday’s national election.
Of the total, three polling stations were set on fire in Chattogram, two each in Mymensingh and Gazipur districts, one each in Sherpur and Habiganj districts.
In Mymensingh, miscreants set fire to two polling stations in Nandail and Gafargaon upazilas of the district early Saturday.
Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh district and returning officer Dider-e-Alam Mohammad Maksud Chowdhury said unidentified miscreants et fire on Haripur Government Primary School in Nandail and Parshipara Government Primary School in Gafargaon upazila of the district early Saturday.
On information, firefighting units rushed to the spots and extinguished the fire.
Masum Ahmed Bhuiya, superintendent of Mymensingh Police, said five people were arrested in this connection and legal action will be taken after investigation.
In Sherpur, a fire broke out at the store room of Mirzapur Government Primary School at Bajitkhila in Sadar upazila of the district early Saturday.
Some benches were gutted in the fire, said Jabed Hossain Muhammad Tarek, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Whether it is an act of sabotage or not will be investigated, said Emdadul Haque, officer-in-charge of Sherpur Police Station.
In Gazipur, two polling centers were set on fire by unidentified arsonists in different parts of the district early Saturday.
Kaliakair Upazila Nirbahi Officer and assistant returning officer Hossain Mohammad Hye said miscreants set fire to the office room of Bashtoli Government Primary School in Kaliakair upazila early in the morning.
Meanwhile, a group of miscreants set fire to East Chandana Government Primary School in the Bason area of Gazipur city around 1:30 am.
On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.
Miscreants also set fire to TNT Ideal High School at Telipara in the city early Saturday. But it was not a polling centre, said Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence.
In Habiganj, miscreants set fire to Dolairpar Government Primary School, a polling center at Chandona village of Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj district, on Friday night.
Md Manikuzzaman, in-charge of Chunarughat Fire Station, said miscreants set the school on fire around 12 am.
In Chattogram, miscreants set fire to three polling stations in Khulshi and Bandar areas of the port city of Chattogram early Saturday.
The centers which were set ablaze are Nishchinta Para Government Primary School, Mohius Sunnah Madrasa in Bandar area and UCEP School (Dabba School) in Khulshi.
Md Shamim, senior station officer of Bandar Fire Service Station, said two firefighting units were engaged in dousing the flame at the spots after being informed about the incidents around 5 am.
In Nishchinta centre under Chattogram-11 constituency, 3, 292 voters were supposed to cast votes in Sunday's national election.
The fire originated from the headmaster’s room of the school and valuables including books were burnt in the fire.
The extent of damages caused by the fire in the Khulshi school could not be ascertained immediately.
Mohammad Ali Hossain, Deputy Commissioner (Port-West) of Chattogram Detective Police, said they went to the centres after receiving the news.