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Bangladesh- Countryside Seven killed in violent clashes during 2nd phase of UP polls

Ns News Online Desk:Ns News Online Desk: At least seven people were killed and over 100 others injured amid sporadic incidents of violence and irregularities at 835 union parishad (UP) elections that ended on Thursday afternoon. Now counting of ballots is going on at these UPs. Reports of violence and deaths were reported from different parts of the country, including Narsingdi, Cox’s Bazar, Comilla and Chittagong.

Our correspondents reported that three people were killed in Narsingdi, two in Comilla, and one each in Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong.On September 29 last the Election Commission (EC) said the voting would be held at 848 UPs under the second phase. Later, one UP was dropped from the schedule, while voting at seven UPs were suspended due to various complexities. In the five, out of the rest UPs, candidates were elected uncontested. As a result, voting was subsequently held at 835 UPs.

In Narsingdi, three people were killed and 10 others injured in a shootout between supporters of two chairman candidates. A clash broke out between the supporters of an Awami League candidate and a rebel AL candidate at Bashgari union, a remote char area in Raipura upazila over occupying the polling centres before the voting started in the morning. They swooped on each other with countrymade weapons like dao and teta. At one stage, they fired shots, leaving three people dead.

The deceased were Salahuddin Mia, Dulal Mia, and Jahangir. Salahuddin Mia and Jahangir were the supporters of Independent candidate Ratul Hasan Zakir, while Dulal Mia was the supporter of present chairman and AL-backed candidate Ashraful Islam in Bashgari UP. At least, 15 people were also injured in the clash.Violence was also broke out in Meherpur district. Police fired four rounds of blank shots during a clash between the candidates of ‘Boat’ and ‘Pineapple’ symbols at about 11:00am at Komorpur polling centre in Mahajanpur union of Mujibnagar district. Mujibnagar Police Station OC Abul Hashem confirmed it.

In Cox’s Bazar, a clash between the supporters of two member candidates at Tetoiya polling centre in Khurushkul union under Sadar upazila, leaving one person dead. The victim, Aktharuzzaman, is the younger brother of Sheikh Kamal, a member candidate contesting the elections to the Khuruskul Ward No. 1 in Cox’s Bazar.

Witnesses said a clash broke out when supporters of Khurushkul Ward No. 1 member candidate Babul started putting seals on ballot papers. At that time, Aktaruzzaman intercepted them. At one stage of altercation, Aktaruzzaman was hacked and then shot.

He was taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital in a critical condition, where doctors referred him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment, but he succumbed on his way to the port city, said Major Mehedi Hasan, CPSC Commander of RAB-15, Cox’s Bazar.

In Comilla, violence and clash were broke out at Amirabad Govt Primary School centre at Manik Char union under Meghna upazila at about 12 noon, leaving one person dead and several others injured.
The deceased was identified as Shaon Ahmed, who hailed from village Ballaverkandi under Meghna upazila. Dr Salahuddin Molla, medical officer of Meghna Health Complex, said three bullet-ridden persons were brought there. One of them died on the way to a local hospital, while the condition of rest of the injured was critical.

Comilla Additional Superintendent of Police Afzal Hossain said at about 12 noon the outsiders started entering Amirabad Govt Primary School centre. When they were intercepted, chase and counter-chase between police and the outsiders took place. At that time, three people received injuries when police opened fire on them. There were Josh Mia, Shaon Ahmed and Najmul. Sanaullah Dali was injured in the violence and later died at a local hospital.

Meanwhile, another clash broke out around 12pm between the supporters of Awami League-backed chairman candidate Zakir Hossain and independent candidate Harun-ur-Rashid.Later, the injured were sent to Meghna upazila Health Complex where doctors declared Shaon dead.

In Satkhira, separate incidents of clashes were reported between the supporters and activists of the rival candidates in Baikari union under Sadar upazila, which left at least 10 people injured, including the chairman candidate nominated by the ruling Awami League. The police had to intervene to bring the situation under control

Satkhira Sadar Hospital emergency department doctor Mushfiqur Rahman said, “So 10 people were admitted to the local hospital after clashes in different parts of Baikari union.” In Chittagong, a businessman was killed and several people were injured at Lelang union of Fatikchhari over the UP polls.

Rabiul Islam, officer-in-charge of Fatikchhari police station, said the clash broke out between the supporters of two member candidates in Gopalghata Anandabazar area during the voting, leaving Md Shafi dead.

Meanwhile, traffic on the busy Dhaka-Chittagong highway came to a standstill for over half an hour in the morning after supporters of two rival union parishad (UP) member candidates blocked the high-speed corridor following a clash.

Summon Banik, inspector at Sitakunda police station, said the two groups had clashed with each other at Sonaichhari union under Sitakunda upazila in Chattogram district around 5am, hours before voting began in the second phase of UP polls. The members of the two groups were supporters of rival UP member candidates, Mahbub and Forkan, respectively. “Both tried to capture the Ghoramara Government Primary School polling station, leading to the clash,” the OC said.

On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the member candidates to the police station for questioning. Cops also seized bamboo sticks and 10 petrol bombs from outside the polling station.

In Gopalganj, voting to Kashiani union was suspended on allegations of polling centre occupation and ballot stuffing by Awami League-backed candidate BM Harun-ur-Rashid.

Two policemen were reportedly attacked when they tried to enforce law and order at Ratail union parishad polling center, said Presiding Officer Selim Sarder. He said: “Harun and his large number of supporters occupied the polling center around 12 noon and began stuffing ballots. At that time police came under attack.”

Subsequently, voting was suspended, he added. During the voting, clashes also broke out at Satkhira, Mainganj, Madaripur, Feni, Lalmonirhat, Shariatpur, Narayanganj, Noakhali, Jashore and Sherpur districts.

Polling began in 835 of 848 UPs at 8am on Thursday and continued till 4pm.

A total of 81 chairman candidates have already been elected unopposed. Similarly, all contestants — for chairman and member posts, and reserved seats — in five UPs were elected uncontested.

More than 41,000 candidates, including 3,310 contenders for the post of chairman, contested the countrywide second phase of UP election. Some 28,747 candidates contested the polls for the member posts and 9,161 women for the reserved seats in the UPs. But 203 member candidates and 73 women candidates for reserved seats were elected unopposed under this phase.

There are nearly 16.6 million voters — 8,405,831 men, 8,189,379 women and 16 transgender (Hijra) — under 8,492 polling stations in these UPs.

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