Run-Up to UP Polls: 2 killed, 20 hurt as violence on

Violence has continued ahead of the second phase of the union parishad polls claiming two more lives and leaving at least 20 others injured in five districts since Saturday night. 

Some of the incidents of violence involved clashes between supporters of candidates nominated by the ruling Awami League and those of the AL rebels.

Amid this situation, the AL yesterday expelled seven party men in Patuakhali's Galachipa upazila after they announced that they would contest the polls as rebel candidates violating party discipline.

Some 846 union parishad across the country are set to go to polls on November 11.

With the two dead, at least 21 people have been killed across the country in violence centring the staggered UP polls, which began in June.

At least 15 of them have been killed ahead of the second phase of the polls.

On November 2, Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said the commission was embarrassed at the election violence. He also expressed his concern over the matter.

In Cox's Bazar, Jatiya Sramik League leader Jahirul Islam Sikder, 45, who sustained bullet wounds in an attack on Friday night, died at a hospital in Chattogram yesterday.

Unidentified assailants shot Jahirul and his brother Kudrat Ullah Sikder, incumbent member of Jhilanja Union Parishad in Sadar upazila, while they were chatting at Kudrat's office.

Kudrat, also general secretary of Jhilanja union unit of Awami League, is contesting for member post this time as well.

The victims' family members and fellow politicians blamed Kudrat's rival candidate Liakat Ali, a BNP activist, for the attack.

Liakat could not be reached for comments. His phone was found switched off.

Shiekh Munir Ul Gias, officer-in-charge of Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station, said they were trying to arrest the attackers.

A large number of AL men demonstrated blocking roads in Cox's Bazar yesterday afternoon, demanding the killers' punishment.

In Narayanganj, a man was shot dead on Saturday night. Locals said he was killed over rivalry centring union parishad polls in Rupganj upazila.

The deceased was identified as Abdur Rashid Mollah, 35, brother-in-law of a member aspirant in the upazila's Morapara union.

Locals said one Awlad Hossain is contesting for a member post of the union, but supporters of his rival candidates vandalised his election camps a few days ago. One of the rival candidates is backed by local upazila parishad vice chairman Sohel Ahmed Bhuiyan. Awlad and his brother-in-law Abdur Rashid Mollah went to Sohel's office to complain against the rival candidate on Saturday night.

At that time, Awlad and Sohel engaged in an altercation. At one stage, Sohel's bodyguard opened fire on Abdur Rashid, said Abir Hossain, assistant superintendent of police in Narayanganj (Circle-3), quoting locals.

Critically injured Rashid was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where on-duty doctors declared him dead.

Police have arrested five people in this connection. But no case was filed till yesterday evening, said Humayun Kabir Mollah, inspector (investigation) of Rupganj Police Station.

Sohel could not be reached for comments as his phone has been found switched off since the incident.

In Munshiganj, at least 10 people were injured in a clash between the supporters of AL-nominated chairman candidate and party rebel at Sologhar union of Sreenagar upazila yesterday.

Azizul Islam is running for chairman with AL's electoral symbol boat while rebel candidate Moazzem Hossain is contesting the polls as an independent.

Both groups locked in a clash in front of Azizul's house in Bhuichitra area around noon yesterday leaving at least 10 people injured, said Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sreenagar Police Station.

On information, police and administrative officials rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, the OC added.

In Pirojpur, a local Jubo League leader was shot and four other AL men were wounded during a clash between two AL groups at Sangkarpasha union under Sadar upazila yesterday.

The bullet-hit person is Faysal Mahbub Shuvo, 32, general secretary of Pirojpur town unit Jubo League.

Locals said Shuvo along with his followers electioneered on behalf AL-nominated candidate chairman candidate in Sangkarpasha Tofazzal Hossain Mallik yesterday afternoon.

On their way back home, supporters of AL's rebel candidate swooped on them in Mallickbari Bus Stand area, triggering the clash.

Contacted, the district's additional superintendent of police Mollah Amzad Hossain confirmed that the clash took place.

In Pabna, at least five people were injured in attacks carried out Saturday night allegedly by rival candidates following a feud over the upcoming union parishad elections in Sujanagar upazila.

Shaheen Chowdhury is competing for chairman post of Sagarkandi union with boat symbol while another local AL man Taiyab Ali as an independent.

Taiyab alleged that houses of his several supporters came under attack and four motorbikes were burnt by the followers of Shaheen Chowdhury on Saturday night.

However, Shaheen denied the allegation and claimed that his rivals were spreading propaganda against him. Rather, some of his supporters came under attack by his rivals on Saturday evening.

Contacted, Md Rowshan Ali, OC of Aminpur Police Station, said both the groups have filed complaints against each other for launching attacks.

In Sirajganj, alleged supporters of the AL-nominated chairman candidate in Shialkole union assaulted some reporters while they were covering a press conference jointly organised by four independent candidates in Shialkole Bazar area yesterday morning.

[Our correspondents in the districts contributed to this report]