Dhaka, May 7 (UNB) – The fourth phase of elections to 703 Union Parishads (UPs) in 87 upazilas of the country’s 46 districts were held on Saturday amid stray incidents of violence, leaving at least four people killed and injuring over 100.
Two of the deceased were killed in Rajshahi after the voting, while one each was killed in Comilla and Thakurgaon during the polling.
The balloting began at 8am and continued till 4 pm without any break. The Election Commission postponed balloting in 51 polling stations due to violence and various irregularities.
In Rajshahi, two people– Siddiqur Rahman, 28, and Momtaz Ali, 35– were killed and at least 30 others, including five policemen, were injured in a series of clashes among the supporters of two chairman candidates and police during vote-counting in a centre at Sharundi village in Bagmara upazila.
Witnesses said the clash broke out as supporters of Awami League-rebel candidate Shahidul Islam attacked the supporters of AL-nominated chairman candidate Jan Boksh as they brought out a procession at Aushpara UP after the voting.
Chases and counter-chases took place during the 30-minute melee. On information, Rab members appeared at the spot and brought the situation under control firing four gunshots, killing Siddiqur and Momtaz on the spot.
In Comilla, Taposh Chandra Das, 38, son of Kanu Chandra Das of Chandla village, was stabbed to death and five others were injured in a clash between the supporters of two member candidates at Chandla Bazar in Brahmanpara upazila of Comilla during the election.
The clash took place following an altercation between the supporters of two member candidates — Sultan Ahmed and Rezaul Karim — of Chandla union parishad in front of Chandla Primary School polling centre around 11 am.
In Thakungoan, Azizul Islam, 30, son of Nazrul Islam of Machkhuria village of the upazila, was killed and seven others were injured in police firing in a polling centre in Paria union of Baliadangi upazila in the afternoon.
Upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Abdul Mannan said the clash broke out between the supporters of two member candidates over snatching ballot papers around 1:30 pm at Kaldanga Dakhil Madrasah polling centre.
The unruly supporters also assaulted presiding officer Mujibur Rahman which prompted police to open fire, leaving Azizul dead on the spot, he said.
According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, over 100 people were also injured in Laxmipur, Chandpur, Gazipur, Munshuganj, Feni and Narsingdi districts during the election.
At least 50 people were injured in separate clashes during the elections to eight unions in Sadar and Raipur upazilas of Laxmipur while 30 people in Matlab (south) and Shaharasti upazilas of Chandpur, seven in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur, five, including a cop, in Chhagolnaiya and Sadar upazila of Feni, five in Tongibari upazila in Munshiganj and another in Raipura upazila in Narsingdi.
Besides, nine BNP-backed chairman candidates boycotted the union parishad election race in Pabna, Natore, Brahmanbaria, Feni, Narsingdi and Manikganj districts on Saturday on various allegations.
Three BNP chairman candidates boycotted the polls in Tatibandha, Sagorkandi and Raninagar unions of Sujanagar upazila of Pabna while one in Natore, Brahmanbaria, Feni and Manikganj each and two in Narsingdi alleging vote rigging and irregularities and obstructing their supporters in casting votes, forcing his agents out of the centre and also casting fake votes.
Besides, police arrested nine people, including Nurul Azim Rony, 26, general secretary of city unit BCL along with a pistol, from a poling centre in Hathazari upazila in Chittagong during the election.
Police also recovered a 9mm pistol, 15 rounds of bullet and a magazine after searching the body of the BCL leader.
Meanwhile, the separate mobile courts sentenced six people, including a presiding officer, to different terms of jail in Sherpur and Munshiganj for vote rigging.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad claimed that the 4th phase of the Union Parishad (UP) election was held peacefully amid huge turnout of voters as the commission took actions based on field reports.
