Photo: Collected
A Bangladesh Chhatra League leader has been detained for taking a photo of his ballot after voting and sharing it on Facebook during the Sonagazi Upazila Parishad election in Feni.
The detained leader was identified as Yakub Ali Mishuk, the Joint General Secretary of the Sonagazi Upazila Chhatra League.
Mishuk cast his vote at the Charsahavikari Government Primary School polling center on Wednesday. He was also serving as the polling agent for the ink-pot symbol candidate at the same center.
Judicial Magistrate Saeed Mohammad Safayat detained Mishuk after receiving a written complaint from the booth's Assistant Presiding Officer and polling officers.
The incident was confirmed by Ahsanul Bari Bhuiyan, Presiding Officer of Charsahavikari Government Primary School polling center.
In the photo, Mishuk is seen voting for Zahir Uddin Mahmud Lipton, Joint General Secretary of the District Awami League, represented by the ink-pot symbol, for the post of chairman, and Sakhawatul Haque Bitu, Vice-President of the Upazila Awami League for the vice-chairman position, represented by the tube-well symbol.
When contacted, Yakub Ali admitted, "As a younger brother, I made a mistake, please forgive me."
Presiding Officer Ahsanul Bari Bhuiyan stated, "Upon learning about the photo taken of the stamped ballot inside the booth, the judicial magistrate detained him based on the written complaint."
Upazila Election Officer Pallabi Chakma said, "Taking photos inside the secret booth of the polling center is illegal. Law enforcement and presiding officers have been instructed to be particularly vigilant. It's unclear how the individual managed to use a mobile phone despite these precautions."
Judicial Magistrate Saeed Mohammad Safayat said, "A voter was detained for taking a photo of a stamped ballot paper inside the booth and posting it on social media."
Messenger/Sumon
