3 killed as last phase of UP polls end amid violence, stuffing

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At least three people including a local leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League, were killed while dozen others injured as voting in the sixth and final phase at 698 union parishads across the country ended on Saturday amid sporadic violence and stuffing.
The balloting began at 8:00am and continued till 4:00pm without any break.
In Feni, a young man died while 20 others injured, 12 of them received bullet wounds, during a tripartite clash at Char Chandia union in Sonagazi upazila this morning.
Feni police super Rezaul Haque confirmed the news of death.
Locals said the clash erupted among the followers of two member candidates — Noor Hossain and Sumon — around 10:30am.
More than a hundred of their activists carried out attack at Char Bhairab Haji Tofayel Ahmed Junior High School centre. They ran amok in the centre, damaged election equipment and furniture of the school.
Both the groups opened fire indiscriminately and blasted a number of crude bombs creating panic in the area.
The law enforcers also fired over 50 bullets to bring the situation under control. Followers of Sumon allegedly snatched three ballot boxes during the mayhem.
Noor Hossain Shipan, 22, son of Abdul Karim, of the union, received bullet-hit in the chaos and died on the spot.
The injured were undergoing treatment at Feni General Hospital and Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex.
Among the bullet wounded, four were policemen, three were ansar members and two were polling officers.
Presiding officer Jainul Abedin said the voting was suspended in the centre.
In another incident, police arrested the presiding officer, Ruhul Amin, at Dakkhin Charsaha Bhikhari High School centre in Char Darbesh union of Sonagazi around 3:00pm on charge of irregularities. Police also seized 800 sealed ballot papers from his possession.
In Noakhali, a local leader of Chhatra League and several others were injured in a clash among the supporters of two member candidates at Bhelanagar Mohammadia Ibtedayi Madrassah centre in Neyajpur union around 9:30am.
Yasir Arafat, 22, general secretary of Neyajpur union unit Chhatra League, died around 4:00pm on way to a Dhaka hospital.
Presiding officer Md Salauddin suspended polls of the centre after the clash.
Meanwhile, two Bangladesh Nationalist Party-nominated union parishad chairman candidates boycotted polls bringing allegations of capturing centres, vote rigging, snatching ballot papers and other irregularities. Md Shajahan, chairman candidate for Ewajbalia union parishad, and Abdullah Al Faruk for Ashwadia union parishad under Noakhali sadar announced their decision this morning.
In Mymensingh, a relative of a member candidate was killed in a clash among the activists of two member candidates — Mosharraf Hossain and Abdul Karim —  at Saltia union in Gaffargaon upazila around 3:30pm.
The clash erupted at village Pukuria over capturing a polling centre leaving Shajahan, 52, cousin of Mosharraf, dead, media reported.
In Chittagong, an Awami League-backed chairman candidate sustained bullet injuries in a clash between his supporters and those of an independent aspirant at Kanchana union in Satkania.
The injured chairman aspirant was identified as Ramjan Ali.
Officer-in-charge of Satkania police station Fariduddin Khandaker said AL-blessed candidate Ramjan Ali captured Anwarul Ulum Senior Madrassah polling centre around 11:30am. Following this, independent candidate Mizanur Rahman Maruf and his followers swooped on Ramjan and his supporters, triggering a clash.
Chase and counter-chase took place during the clash and supporters of both the groups opened fire, one of which left Ramjan injured, United News of Bangladesh reports.
Meanwhile, members of Bangladesh Border Guard arrested an activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League along with a pistol at Rajalia union.
In Jessore, Firoj Ahmed, ruling party-nominated chairman aspirant for Kaiba union council under Sharsha upazila, claimed that his vehicle was attacked by followers of rebel Awami League candidate Altaf Hossain.
Tareq Ahammed, Jessore district election officer, told New Age that two people were injured in violence at a polling station in Sharsha.
Bombs were exploded at several places under Chaugachha upazila during the polls, locals said.
The police arrested Mominur Rahman, a polling agent of the ruling party-nominated candidate, for compelling voters to vote for AL-backed chairman candidate at Chandpara polling centre of Narayanpur union council in Chaugachha, said Kabir Hossain, presiding officer of the centre.
In Rangamati, the BNP-backed chairman candidate at Wagya union in Kaptai, Jafar Ahmed Swapan, also boycotted polls on allegation of capturing polling centres and driving his agents out from there.
Rangamati district BNP unit president Md Shah Alam alleged that the polling agents of the party were also ousted from Kalampati Government Primary School centre at Kalampati union in Kawkhali upazila.
In Savar, at least five people were injured in a crude bomb blast at Palashbari Haji Joyenuddin School and College centre in Dhamshona union around 10:00am. Three of the injured were admitted at Mamtajuddin General Hospital.
Ashulia police officer-in-charge Mohsinul Kadir said additional police were sent to the spot.
In Jhenaidah, three BNP-backed chairman candidates boycotted union parishad polls at Sailkupa as what they said there was lack of fair environment in polls. Nazrul Islam Joardar of seven number Hakimpur union, Abdul Bari Molla of eight number Dhalharachandra union, and Abul Hossain of nine number Monoharpur union made the decision hours after the polls started.
In Tangail, seven people were injured in a clash among the activists of AL and BNP-backed chairman candidates at Jamuria union in Ghatail at noon.
Two of the injured were taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Police arrested three people from the spot.
New Age Sirajganj correspondent reported the agents of Awami League-nominated chairman candidate stamped ballot papers of the voters publicly at different polling centres in Salap union of Ullapara upazila.
Earlier, opposition parties, their candidates, independent candidates and many voters expressed fear that ruling AL activists may resort to violence and stuffing of ballot boxes capturing polling centres as they did in the previous phases of the elections at 721, 618, 639, 718 and 720 unions respectively held on March 22 and March 31, April 23, May 7 and May 28.
Nearly 114 people died in the last four months both before and after the votes since the announcement of the election schedule in February.
The ruling party claims the polls have been free and fair, while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party dubbed the last five phases a ‘farce’.
Like the previous five phases, no balloting is required against 27 chairman posts where ruling Awami League candidates have already been elected uncontested in this phase, reports United News of Bangladesh.

Source: New Age