UP Chairman Posts: AL men bag 53pc, independents 45pc

Awami League candidates performed not as well in the third phase of the union parishad elections compared to previous two phases.

In the third phase held on Sunday, ruling AL candidates won 53 percent of the chairman posts, shows Election Commission (EC) data unveiled last night.

In the second phase on November 11, they won 56 percent of the posts. They won 76 percent in the first phase held in two parts in June and September.

Earlier, the EC announced that 1,007 UPs would be going to polls on Sunday, but elections to some UPs were not held or were suspended due to cases and other issues, an EC joint secretary said.

The EC announced the unofficial results of 992 union parishads yesterday.

Elections to 833 UPs were held on November 11 and 364 on June 21 and September 20.

Independents fared well in the third phase as they won 45 percent of the chairman posts. They won 40 percent of the positions in second phase and 24 percent in the first phase.

According to EC statistics, AL chairman candidates were victorious in 525 unions in Sunday's elections. At least 99 of them were elected unopposed.

It also shows that 446 independents won. Of them, one was elected unopposed.

Party insiders said more than 250 independents are AL rebels.

Seventeen Jatiya Party candidates, and one each from Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jamiate Ulamaye Islam Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal won in the third phase.

POLLS VIOLENCE

Five more people, including a BGB member and a child, died and four others were injured in violence over UP polls in five districts over the last two days.

With the latest deaths, at least 58 people have been killed in polls-related violence over the staggered UP elections that began in June.

In Rangpur, an injured youth died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital early yesterday, hours after firing by Border Guard Bangladesh during polls violence on Sunday night.

The dead, Adittya Roy, 18, was a resident of Ghidhob village in Thakurgaon's Pirganj upazila.

Rezaul Islam, upazila nirbahi officer of Pirganj, said BGB opened fire to disperse a group of people who attacked election officials at the Ghidhob Government Primary School polling centre in the upazila's Khangaon union.

The incident left two people dead on the spot.

In Sirajganj, an HSC examinee died of his wounds at Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital early yesterday, hours after being injured in electoral violence during the third phase.

The dead was identified as Delwar Hosain Sagor, 17, of Masuakandi village in Ullapara upazila.

Sagor was injured in a clash between supporters of two UP polls candidates near Masiakandi Government Primary School polling centre in the upazila's Hatikumrul union, said Abdul Kader Jilani, OC of Solonga Police Station.

A case was filed in this regard, he added.

In Cox's Bazar, a supporter of a newly elected UP chairman was killed allegedly by followers of a defeated candidate in Chakaria upazila the same night.

The dead -- Gias Uddin Mintu, 45, -- was from Demushia Para area of the upazila.

Locals said the victim was a supporter of Noor-e-Hossain Arif, the Awami League chairman nominee, who won the Badarkhali Union Parishad polls.

His supporters brought out a victory procession at Gauchia Mosque Hafezkhana area around 10:45pm. All of a sudden, supporters of rebel AL candidate Md Hefaz Shikder attacked the procession, leaving Mintu badly injured. He died on the way to a local hospital.

This newspaper could not reach Hefaz over the phone for comments.

In Nilphamari, a BGB member was killed in post-polls violence at Garagram of the district's Kishoreganj upazila on Sunday night.

The dead was identified as Rubel Mondol, 37, a nayek of the BGB 56 Battalion.

Supporters of a chairman candidate, who lost the election, resorted to violence at Poschim Doliram Majhapara Government Primary School polling centre around 9:00pm after the announcement of the polls results, said Lalit Chandra Roy, presiding officer at the centre.

He came under attack when he became isolated from fellow force members at the centre. He was beaten to death, said police sources.

In Narsingdi, a man was shot by rivals at Uttar Bakharnagar village of the district's Raipura upazila the same day.

The victim -- Farid Miah -- was a resident of the village.

Locals said supporters of two UP member candidates clashed at Uttar Bakharnagar Government Primary School in the evening, leaving three people, including Farid, injured by bullets.

Farid was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he died around 10:00pm.

In Munshiganj, at least four people were injured as supporters of two defeated candidates clashed in Chhota Mollakandi village of the district's Sadar upazila early yesterday.

In Lalmonirhat, a candidate and his supporters vandalised some Hindu houses on Sunday night after losing the election in Harati union.

(Our district correspondents contributed to this report.)