A mayoral candidate in Feni's Chhagalnaiya municipality election was abducted allegedly by the supporters of  the current mayor at upazila gate area before submitting his nomination paper Sunday afternoon. Abducted mayoral candidate Abdul Halim, 38,  son of Siddique Ahmed of West Chhagalnaiya village in the municipality, was rescued by police in the evening  after four hours of abduction. Read: Woman sentenced to life imprisonment for husband’s murder in Feni Abdul Halim alleged he was going with some of his relatives to submit nomination paper for the post of mayor on the last day of submission. When he reached the upazila gate, some supporters of current mayor and Awami League leader Mostafa stopped him and started beating him. They later snatched the nomination paper from his hand and took him to an unknown place by an auto-rickshaw. So,  he could not submit his nomination paper as the last date of submitting nomination papers was Sunday. Later, police rescued him from the Banshpara area sent to Chhagalnaiya Upazila Health Complex. Chhagalnaiya Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police Sohel Parvez said that they  arrested two suspects --Shishir and Mezbah Uddin-- from the spot. Read:Snatching gold bars: 5 Feni DB officials remanded again Md Shahidul Islam, Officer-in-charge of Chhagalnaiya Police Station, said police are trying to arreste others involved in the incident. On Sunday, two candidates for the post of mayor, 11 candidates for the three posts of (reserved seat) women councilors and 44 candidates for the posts of nine councilors in  general wards submitted nomination papers.

Voting in the 5th phase election to 29 municipalities in 20 districts is underway with the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) on Sunday.

Balloting at 55 municipalities in the fourth phase elections began on Sunday with participation of political parties in the mayoral race of the local bodies.

Balloting in the third phase elections to 62 municipalities began on early Saturday and ended amid reports of clashes, vote-rigging, polling centre domination, and boycotts.

The nomination board of the ruling Awami League sits on Saturday for selecting its candidates for the fifth phase polls to 31 municipalities which will be held on February 28. The announcement of the selected names will come after a meeting of Bangladesh Awami League’s Local Government Representative Nomination Board to be held at Ganobhaban with AL President and Prime Min

Bringing various allegations of vote ‘rigging’ in Saturday’s second phase of municipal polls, BNP on Monday said the current Election Commission (EC) has been working as an ‘electoral post box’ of Awami League.

Two separate cases were filed and five people arrested early Sunday over vandalizing vehicles of law enforcers and arson attack during municipality polls in Gaibandha.

A councillor candidate, who won the election in the Sirajganj municipality, was stabbed to death by miscreants while celebrating victory on Saturday night.   The deceased was identified as Tariqul Islam, 35, a councillor candidate of ward 6 and son of Abdul Kuddus of Bhangabari area of Sadar upazila.   Bahauddin Faruki, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said, Tariqul was elected unofficially in the municipality polls held Saturday.

Eight people, including a policeman, were injured on Saturday as the law enforcers and locals got into a violent clash in Gaibandha municipality over vote counting.

BNP alleged that ruling party supporters captured most polling stations during municipality polls on Saturday as they did during national elections.