UNB, Dhaka: Awami League-backed chairman candidates won elections in 356 union parishads while contestants from its arch rival BNP’s camp won in 30. According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, 71 AL candidates were elected unofficially in Bagerhat, 63 in Barisal, 46 in Satkhira, 35 in Bhola, 29 in Jhalakati, 24 in Barguna, 12 in Brahmanbaria, 11 in Jessore, 10 in Comilla, nine in Pabna, eight in Sherpur, seven in Kushtia and Kishoreganj each, six in Laxmipur and Bogra each, five in Jhenaidah, four in Mymensingh, two in Panchagarh and one in Sylhet. Of the total 71 runners in Bagerhat, 32 had earlier been elected uncontested. On the other hand, 10 BNP candidates were elected unofficially in Satkhira, five in Mymensingh, three in Jessore, two in Barguna, Kishoreganj, Bogra, Panchagarh and Sylhet each and one in Sherpur and Comilla each. Besides, 52 other chairman candidates won the elections in Barguna, Bhola, Jessore, Brahmanbaria, Sherpur, Comilla, Kushtia, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jhalakati, Kishoreganj, Barisal, Panchagarh and Bogra. Election to 712 UPs in 37 districts was held on Tuesday amid various irregularities and sporadic violence that left eight people dead. The balloting in the first phase of the UP elections began at 8am and continued till 4pm without any break. The voting was marked with violence and anomalies in Pirojpur, Netrakona, Cox’s Bazar, Jhalakati, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Barisal, Bhola, Sirajgnaj, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Satkhira districts. Due to violence and irregularities, voting at 56 polling stations out of some 6,500 were postponed across the country. Fifty-four chairman candidates, all from the ruling party, have already been elected unopposed as there was no rival against their respective post.
