The police on Saturday recovered at least one hundred sacks of ballot papers used in the 2024 parliamentary election from the old bungalow of Natore deputy commissioner at the Kanduavita area in Natore district town.
The sacks were buried underground in the bushes behind the Bungalow, said officials.
Seals on the boat, the electoral symbol of the Awami League, were found on most of the ballot papers used in the election for the Natore-1 constituency, they said and added that the administration, after the 2024 national election, stored them in the old bungalow.
According to the district and police administrations, the police on Friday recovered six firearms wrapped in a blanket near the DC鈥檚 old bungalow.
Following the recovery, members of the Nationalist Security Intelligence searched the adjacent areas and noticed a recently dug and filled-up hole in the bushes behind the DC鈥檚 old bungalow.
Based on their information, the police then dug the spot and recovered the ballot papers, most of which were sealed, they said.
Natore sadar police station officer-in-charge Mahabur Rahman said that they recovered the ballot papers buried underground in the presence of the district administration officials.
Natore deputy commissioner Asma Shaheen could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts over the phone.
Rashedul Islam, assistant commissioner (NDC, treasury, business and commerce), said that due to space constraints at the treasury branch of the district administration office, the ballot papers and some election materials of 2024 national election were stored at the old bungalow as none but a night guard stayed there for decades.
He said that they were not sure who took the ballot papers from the bungalow and buried them underground in the bushes.
The reason for burying the ballot papers is still unknown, he said.
Rashedul Islam said that they were now verifying the ballot papers and counting it, and would take necessary steps after the verification.
