Violence in Bangladesh's first-ever local body polls leaves 1 dead

Violence marred Bangladesh's first-ever local body polls on party line Wednesday, leaving one dead and scores of others injured.

Md Nurul Amin, 40, was killed when unidentified miscreants opened fire during clashes between the supporters of two rival candidates in Satkania Municipality in Chittagong, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, said the district's Superintendent of Police Hafiz Aktar.

Sources said some 78 people were injured in clashes at different polling centers in over a dozen districts.

Polling at nearly 25 centers was reportedly suspended due to violence.

Some 20 parties including ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which sat out the 2014 national polls, have joined the elections.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Bangladesh Awami League party claimed that the voting was free and fair, but BNP claimed of widespread rigging.

Counting of votes started at 8 a.m. (local time) Wednesday, soon after the polling and concluded at 4 p.m. amid reports of violence, clashes, irregularities, boycott of some candidates.

Around 7.1 million voters of 234 municipalities exercised their franchise to elect around 3,924 public representatives, including 234 mayors from over 12,000 candidates.

Initial results suggested ruling party candidates lead the municipal elections.

Experts said Hasina and her arch rival two-time former Prime Minister Khaleda will assess their support in the local body elections ahead of the 2019 national elections which are thought to be an acid test for both ruling and opposition parties.

They said Wednesday's polls will reflect the popularity of the the two major parties, which alternately ruled Bangladesh since 1991. Endit