UP polls: Violence in 3rd phase as well, 2 killed

The third phase of the Union Parishad (UP) elections on Sunday also ended in violence and deaths like the previous two phases.

At least two people were killed and more than a hundred were injured across the country. Almost all of them are Awami League activists and supporters.

Sajjadur Rahman Sajib, 25, president of Ichapur Union Chhatra League, was killed in election violence in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur. He was seriously injured in a clash outside Nayanpur Government Primary School in the upazila on Sunday afternoon.

According to locals, the boat candidate's supporters clashed with the supporters of rebel candidate Amir Hossain Khan outside the Nayanpur Government Primary School centre at noon. Sajib was seriously injured during the clash. He died while being rushed to Dhaka for treatment.

Besides, a journalist of SATV was beaten and his camera was snatched in Lakshmipur.

In Khulna, a 38-year-old man was beaten to death reportedly by the supporters of a rebel candidate of Awami League at Madhupur in Terokhada upazila of Khulna district on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Babul Shikdar, 38, a supporter of Awami League-backed chairman candidate Mohammad Mohsin.

Quoting local people, Zahurul Alam, officer-in-charge of Terokhada Police Station, said the supporters of rebel candidate Kamal Hossain swooped on Babul Shikdar around 12:15 am while on his way home.

Later, they hit Babul with a hammer and stabbed him indiscriminately, leaving him critically injured.

Babul was taken to Khulna Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 6:15 am.

Meanwhile, in Narsingdi, hundreds of people were injured in attacks, chases, cocktail explosions and clashes. The incident took place during a clash between supporters of AL candidate Muminur Rahman and rebel candidate Golam Kibria.

Meanwhile, in a media briefing after the polls on Sunday at the Election Commission building, Election Commission Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker claimed that the third phase of the UP elections has been non-violent.

He said this time voting was peaceful except for some isolated incidents and voters were able to cast their votes in a festive atmosphere.

"Voting was supposed to be held in 1000 UPs and nine municipalities, but there was no need for voting in 14 UPs of Chattogram, as all the chairman and members were elected uncontested. In the remaining 896 UPs, more than 70% of the votes were cast," the EC secretary said.

He also said that the election has been postponed in 21 polling centres as the centres went out of the control of the presiding officers.

Regarding the injury of SATV journalist in Lakshmipur, the EC secretary said, "As soon as we came to know about this, we informed the district administration. They are recovering the camera and preparing to file a case."

Claiming that election violence in the third phase was lower than the previous two phases, he said, "Law enforcement personnel were more active than ever and the rival candidates were more tolerant."