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Roundup: 11 dead in Bangladesh's local government polls violence

Xinhua, March 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

The polls to the union parishad, the lowest tier of local government in Bangladesh, have been marred by sporadic violence, intimidation, stuffing of the ballot box and capture of polling stations, leaving 11 dead until Wednesday morning.

Stray incidents of clash, arson, vandalism, explosion of hand bombs, chase and counter-chase and firing have been reported at many of the 712 unions that went to the polls on Tuesday.

Until Wednesday morning, sources said at least 11 people were killed due to the incidents of clashes between supporters of rival candidates in the first-ever polls on party line.

Violence also left reportedly hundreds of people injured across the country.

Supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Bangladesh Awami League party candidates, its rebels and ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidates mainly clashed in parts of the country.

At least five people were killed and several others injured reportedly in firing by law enforcers in Bangladesh's Pirojpur district, some 185 km south of capital Dhaka.

Six more deaths have been reported on Wednesday morning from four more districts.

Police was not immediately available to confirm the deaths.

Polls at 56 polling centers were suspended because of irregularities and clashes.

Despite the violence and irregularities, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said that the voting was free, fair and peaceful except for some "isolated incidents of irregularities."

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

Around 12 million voters Tuesday exercised their franchise under nearly 7,000 polling stations.

According to the Election Commission, in the first phase of the elections, 3,043 people contested for 718 posts for chairmen, while 25,847 contested for the posts of member and 7,575 vied for member posts reserved for women.

Initial results suggested ruling party candidates lead the elections.

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