Breaching of polls rules, violence on

Breaching of electoral code of conduct and spates of violence continue in different districts, leaving one person dead, as the third phase of Union Parishad (UP) polls starts on day after tomorrow.

A member aspirant of Prahladpur UP under Sreepur upazila in Gazipur was killed on Tuesday night, bringing the death toll to 37 in violence over the polls across the country so far.

Besides, tension prevails at Dimla upazila of Nilphamari as ruling Awami League (AL) and main opposition Jatiya party (JP) men are at loggerheads over elections to seven UPs.

BNP men in Chittagong have meanwhile alleged that AL men were obstructing their candidates in 15 UPs in Fatikchhari upazila.

In Bogra and Munshiganj, candidates and their supporters have kept violating the electoral code of conduct.

Elections to 621 UPs are scheduled for April 23 in the third phase, while 743 UPs will go on polls on May 7 in the fourth phase and around 1,400 more UPs in two other phases until June.

Earlier, polls to 1,364 UP were held in two phases on March 22 and March 31. Both the phases witnessed widespread violence and irregularities that left at least 35 people dead and more than 1,000 wounded.

In Gazipur, member aspirant AL leader Akhter Khandaker, 45, was hacked to death around 10:00pm on Tuesday, reports our correspondent.

Police and witnesses said Akhter was returning to his house on a motorcycle when miscreants stopped him, indiscriminately chopped him and left him dead on the spot.

The police recovered his body around 12:00am and sent it to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, said Asaduzzaman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sreepur police.

Victim's cousin Abdul Baten alleged rival member aspirant Mujibur Rahman had been threatening Akhter for last couple of days. He also accused Mujibur of being involved in the killing.

Mujibur denied the allegations and said his rivals were hatching conspiracy against him.

In Chittagong, Fatikchhari upazila unit BNP convener at a press conference yesterday alleged that AL men were threatening their candidates and obstructing them from electioneering.

In Nilphamari, tension prevails at Dimla upazila as AL and JP come face to face over elections to seven UPs. Both groups are verbally attacking each other, triggering fears among locals of deadly clashes anytime, reports our correspondent.

In Bogra, a mobile court fined two chairman aspirants of Gosaibari UP under Dhunat upazila.

In Munshiganj, allegations are raised against a member aspirant of Haldia UP under Louhajang upazila that he is running campaign with live 'hen', his election symbol, violating the electoral code.

NINE MUNICIPALITIES

The Election Commission yesterday announced polls schedule to nine municipalities in seven districts setting the voting date on May 25.

The municipalities are Raipur and Palash of Narsingdi, Lakshmipur, Kashba of Brahmanbaria, Maijdee and Senbagh of Noakhali, Chhagalnaiyya of Feni, Teknaf of Cox's Bazar and Ramgar of Khagrachhari.

The last dates of filing and withdrawal of nomination are April 28 and May 9 respectively. The nomination papers would be scrutinised on May 12.

Out of 317 municipalities of the country, elections to around 234 were held on December 30 last year. Elections to the rest are being held in a haphazard manner in last couple of months.