Voting has ended in 639 union councils amid reports of violent clashes and rigging of ballots.
Published : 31 Mar 2016, 06:13 PM
UP polls: Voting begins for second phase
1 dead in Jessore poll centre firing
Polls official arrested in Jessore
Two people were shot dead as rival groups fought at Keraniganj’s Hajratpur and Jessore’s Chanchra during the second phase of the election on Thursday.
A student of Dhaka University was shot dead by police while he was allegedly running away with a sack full of ballots at Madaripur Sadar’s Burail union. Another death was reported after clashes at Natore’s Lalpur.
Another man died of a ‘heart attack’ during back-to-back clashes between rival supporters at Jamalpur’s Melandahe, police say.
Fighting between supporters of the ruling Awami League and BNP candidates left two more dead and a police constable injured at a voting centre in Chittagong’s Swandip.
Shots were fired as fighting erupted at Bhola Sadar’s Rajapur Union, leaving 20 people injured. A BNP candidate was also attacked at a voting centre in Arifpur Union in Comilla.
Four including an assistant presiding officer were arrested at Jessore’s Churamankathi Union after ballot-snatching and fighting had taken place at a voting centre.
The Election Commission had promised tough measures following casualties and reports of rigging during the first phase of the elections on Mar 22.
Despite reports of several casualties, Election Commissioner Abu Hafiz said no ‘major untoward incident’ occurred on Thursday.
But the BNP alleged massive rigging by the Awami League supporters and decided to boycott the election in 30 unions in Chittagong’s three Upazilas. The party says it will contest another phase of the election before deciding whether to boycott the three more that will follow.