10 dead in Bangladesh's local government polls violence

Violence surrounding the 5th phase polls of Bangladesh's lowest tier of local government have left at least 10 dead as of Saturday night.

Stray incidents of clash, arson, vandalism, explosion of hand bombs, chase and counter-chase and firing were reported in many of the 720 unions that went to the polls on Saturday.

At least four deaths have been reported on Saturday from northern Jamalpur district, 185 km from capital Dhaka, due to clashes between supporters of rival candidates.

The incidents of clashes between supporters of rival candidates left four more people dead and hundreds of others injured in southeastern Noakhali and Chittagong districts on Saturday.

Two more deaths have been reported in pre-polls violence in northern Kushtia and Southwestern Narail districts.

Violence also left hundreds of people including officials and law enforcers injured in the country's first-ever partisan local government body polls.

Police was not immediately available to confirm the deaths.

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

The previous phases of the elections were also marred by deadly clashes and irregularities.

Some 82 people have been reportedly killed and several thousands injured in violence over the four previous phases of the partisan local government body polls since March. Endit