Dhaka: Voting in the 11th parliamentary elections on Sunday in Bangladesh ended all across the country and now the people await the results as vote counting began.The voting started at 0800 hrs went on uninterruptedly till 1600 hrs. The situation in Dhaka was peaceful while the reports of violence were coming from outside the country's capital.At least 13 people including an Ansar member was killed in the polls violence.
Ansar member, identified as Md Nuru Nabi was shot dead by the miscreants at Tulachara Government Primary School center under Noakhali-3 parliamentary constituency. Some unidentified miscreants stormed into center around 1245 hrs and tried to occupy the polling stations. When the Ansar member came forward to resist them, the miscreants shot him, leaving him dead on the spot.
A Jubo league leader was killed in an attack allegedly by some BNP activists at Kashkhali union in Kaukhali upazila of Rangamati on Sunday morning.The deceased was identified as Bashir Uddin, general secretary of Kashkhali union Jubo Legue unit.An altercation took place between some supporters of BNP and Awami League on Saturday night.
As a sequel to the altercation, BNP men attacked Bashir and one of his followers, while they were going to polling station in the morning, leaving them critically injured.Among the injured, Bashir died on the way to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital.
In Chattogram, a Jatiya Party activist was killed in clash with ruling party men at Katharia in Banshkhali upazila on Sunday morning.The deceased was identified as Kabir Ahmed, 45.
Jatiya Party aspirant for Chattogram- 16 constituency Mahmudul Chowdhury alleged that some leaders and activists of ruling party tried to stamp seal on boat symbol after occupying Baraitali government primary school polling centre on Saturday night.
As the JP activists tried to resist them they opened fire on them, triggering a clash that left Kabir dead and several injured.Ballot boxes were stuffed in 20 polling centres in the constituency overnight, he claimed.
In Patiya, a tripartite clash between AL, BNP and supporters of 'candle' symbol locked in clashes, leaving 18-year-old Abu Sadek dead. Sadek fell in the middle of the clash and died. The incident took place around 1000 hrs at Pashchim Maliapara, under Chattogram-12.
A local Awami League activist has been killed in front of a polling centre in Rajshahi's Mohanpur Upazila.The deceased was identified as Mirazul Islam, 30.
The incident occurred in front of the Pakuria High School centre in Jahanabad Union on Sunday, said Rajshahi-3 Awami League candidate Ayen Uddin.
Mirazul was hacked to death when he and other Awami League activists attempted to stop BNP supporters from occupying the Pakuria High School polling centre, he added.
A voter died during tension between supporters of Awami League and BNP in Sohogram Government Primary School, under Dinajpur-2 on Sunday noon.. The victim was identified as Kina Mohammad, 65.
He fell between a chase and counter-chase and died in heart attack, sources said.In Cumilla, two people of Oikyafront and BNP has been killed.One Oikyafront supporter Mujib, 35, has been killed in Chandina in police firing.
The incident took place at Pashchim Belashwar voting centre, under Cumilla-7 constituency.Another BNP supporter Bachchu Mia, 45, was killed in Awami League attack at Murgaon voting centre, under Cumilla-10.
In Dhaka, there were no reports of any casualties or violence; the voters cast their votes in a peaceful manner.
However, there was a bizarre incident of 'lunch break' in some of the polling centres in Dhaka-7 despite EC's directives to continue voting till 1600 hrs without any interruption.
Notably, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cast vote at Dhaka City College centre in the capital at 0800 hrs, while Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader cast his vote at Udayan Kindergarten centre in Bashurhat municipality under Noakhali-5 constituency at 0850 hrs.
Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain cast vote at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College centre in the capital city around 0856 hrs and BNP general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir cast his vote at the Thakurgaon Government Girls' School around 0830 hrs.(UNI)
