Two AL supporters killed allegedly by BNP activists as polls violence flares

Two Awami League supporters have been killed and scores of people injured in clashes, attacks and acts of vandalism in around a dozen districts centring the election.

The violence flared on the second day of campaign for the Dec 30 vote on Tuesday in Noakhali, Faridpur, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Narail, Narsinghdi, Mymensingh, Natore, and Sirajganj.

A local leader of the Jubo League, the ruling Awami League’s youth front, was killed allegedly by people from a BNP campaign procession in Naoakhali’s Sadar Upazila in the afternoon.

Another Awami League supporter was killed by a BNP activist reportedly for protesting against derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Faridpur’s Sadar Upazila.

BNP candidates’ cars and homes came under attack at several places allegedly by ruling party activists.

In Thakurgaon, cars in BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s motorcade were vandalised.

The car of BNP candidate Zakir Hossain Bablu and several motorcycles in his convoy in Mymensingh were also vandalised. At least 30 people were injured in the attack.

BNP candidates Md Asaduzzaman in Jhenaidah and Golam Mohammad Siraj in Bogura also alleged similar attacks.

In Sirajganj’s Shahjadpur, the ruling party activists allegedly ransacked the home of BNP candidate MA Muhith.

Awami League activists allegedly took away the food cooked for a BNP programme in Natore’s Sadar Upazila while clashes at different other places in the district left several injured.

The Awami League office in Chuadanga’s Alamdanga was allegedly vandalised by BNP activists.

The BNP alleged the ruling party activists rampaged through its office in Meherpur’s Gangni.

In Narail, the campaign office of the BNP’s Jatiya Oikya Front alliance was allegedly vandalised by the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling party’s student front.

BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan’s supporters allegedly came under attack by Jubo League and BCL activists. At least 10 people were injured in the assault, the BNP said.

Loyalists of another member of its policymaking body, Moudud Ahmed, clashed with Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s supporters in Noakhali over simultaneously organised campaign rallies at the same venue in Noakhali.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda called for everyone’s cooperation to ensure peace during the parliamentary elections after heated campaign on the first day.

“The election heat has spread. But we must be careful so that the situation don’t get violent and hamper the election atmosphere,” he told a meeting in Dhaka.

Huda had earlier expressed hope of organising ‘historic’ vote joined by all political parties.