Independent candidate Tasnim Jara on Thursday alleged that female polling agents were being harassed and obstructed from entering polling centres at several locations in the Dhaka-9 constituency.

Talking to reporters after visiting the Khilgaon Model College polling centre in the morning, Jara said her polling agents, particularly women, were facing barriers while trying to enter multiple centres.

“Our polling agents are being prevented from entering polling centres on various pretexts. They are not being allowed inside, and female agents are being harassed,” she said.

Jara alleged that officials responsible for managing the polling centres were creating obstacles by inventing arbitrary rules. According to her, female agents were denied access, forced to leave centres, or subjected to inconsistent instructions.

“We are going through serious difficulties. In some cases, our polling agents are not allowed to enter, while in others they are asked to leave after entering. Bogus rules are being cited as excuses,” she said.

She also claimed that agents were told they could not enter because they were not voters of the respective centres, an explanation she said had no legal basis.

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In other instances, female agents were reportedly removed from male-designated centres. Conflicting instructions regarding mobile phone use were also being used as grounds for obstruction, she added.

Jara said similar complaints had been received from many polling centres across the Dhaka-9 constituency.

In Dhaka-9, Tasnim Jara is contesting the election against BNP candidate Habibur Rashid Habib and National Citizen Party candidate Javed Rasin.