At least four persons, including one Awami League activist and one Jatiya Party worker, were killed in the Bangladesh elections on Sunday, which till mid-day was described as a “peaceful” one.
The local television channels reported major incidents of violence from Chittagong district and Banshkhali sub-district. Awami League claimed that three of the four persons killed were from the ruling party as the Opposition is “continuing with planned attacks” on them.
Mir Abu Jafar Shamsuddin, a member of the main Opposition BNP president’s press wing, said that “across the country polling agents were [either] not allowed to enter the vote centres or were pushed out”. One of their activists was killed in Comilla district’s Murgaon village, he said.
In many places, the Awami League “completed the election process last night, hours before the formal polling started,” he alleged.
‘Generally peaceful’, says Chief Election Commissioner
The Opposition coalition, Jatiya Oikya Front’s chief Kamal Hossain made similar allegations. However, the Chief Election Commissioner has said that “other than a few isolated incidents, election is generally peaceful.”
Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of Awami League, too said that the voting was “peaceful, besides few minor incidents”.
A foreign journalist in Dhaka said that he was allowed to enter the vote centre in south Dhaka, the constituency of the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, where the “mood was relaxed and cheerful”.
An Awami League supporter, Mintu Goswami, said that in his area, in Mugda and Basabo, in north Dhaka, “many BNP-Jamaat supporters came out in large numbers to vote in the morning, while the Awami Leaguers started pouring in around mid-day.”
“But everything is peaceful and festive,” he said.
Internet suspended
Long queues could be seen outside the polling centres in Dhaka, guarded by police, paramilitary and the army.
The streets were however empty and mobile internet services are restricted. An official told the local press that “3G and 4G services are blocked till Monday” for security reasons.
More than 10 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise; 50.43% of the voters are men, while 49.57% are women.
Thirty nine parties, clubbed in five jote or coalition, are participating in the election. As of now, none of the parties have withdrawn from the elections, following major speculation over the last fortnight.
