UP ELECTION: Polls heading for most violent ever: Sujan

Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik, a civil society platform, on Thursday claimed that a total of 71 people were killed and over 6,000 were injured in the poll-related violence after the Election Commission announced the staggered schedule for union parishad elections on February 11.
‘In the history of country’s union parishad polls, the most violent and controversial polls were in 1988 when 80 people were killed. Already 71 people have been killed in the ongoing union parishad polls after three phases of elections, with three phases still to be held,’ Sujan said.
The organisation released the data at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Sujan said 16 people were killed in Barisal and Dhaka divisions each, 13 in Chittagong, 10 in Khulna, eight in Rajshahi, seven in Mymensingh and one in Rangpur.
Of them, 29 people were involved in campaigning for ruling Awami League nominated chairman candidates, seven were supporters and activists of AL rebel and independent chairman candidates, two were involved in the politics of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and one each of Jatiya Party, Jatiya Party (JP) and Jana Sanghati Samiti. Fifteen supporters and activists of member candidates, and 16 unaffiliated people, were also killed in poll-related clashes.
According to the report, of 28, only three incidents of clashes involved the rivalry between AL and BNP, one between AL and Jatiya Party, and, AL and Jatiya Party (JP) while at least 21 clashes took place between the supporters of AL nominated and AL rebel chairmen candidates.
At the press conference, Sujan strongly criticised the union parishad elections and described them as ‘controversial’.
Sujan secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said that the polls were marred by deaths in violence, nomination sale, uncontested wins and attacks on minority groups.
Among others Sujan president M Hafiz Uddin Khan, development activist Md Jahangir and Shujan central coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarkar were present at the briefing.
Polls to 743 unions are slated for May 7 in the fourth phase and 733 unions for May 28 in the fifth phase. Around 700 more unions will go to polls in the sixth phase in June.