Electoral violence escalates; one killed in Madaripur, several injured elsewhere

The conflict over electioneering for the upcoming 12th parliamentary election has been escalating with campaigns and rallies of rival candidates being attacked, workers being beaten and threatened.

A person was hacked to death in Madaripur’s Kalkini on Saturday. Independent candidate Tahmina claimed the victim to be her party worker. An incident of shooting took place at the house of a worker of an independent candidate in Munshiganj.

Clashes took place in 10 places of 9 constituencies from Friday night to Saturday. At least 10 people were injured in these incidents. Clashes occurred in 15 places of 11 constituencies from Thursday night to night to Friday night. At least 30 people were injured in these incidents.

The campaign for the election started on 18 December. Since then, clashes took place 46 places and one was killed.

Workers of independent candidates and election campaign camps came to attack more yesterday. Strong independent candidates are mostly the leaders of Awami League. The attackers are alleged to be supporters of the Awami League nominated candidates. Thus, the ruling Awami League leaders-activists are mainly engaging in conflicts.

Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman yesterday said they are going to take stern actions in cases of electoral violence and violations of electoral code of conduct. The Election Commission (EC) may even revoke candidacy in some particular cases.

“We discussed some strict actions today. We've sought some more information, and you will see us making some tough decisions after obtaining information tomorrow,” Anisur said.

Awami League fielded candidates in 264 seats in the election. Of these candidates, over 100 are going to face stiff competitions from the independent candidates belonging to their own party. The Awami League candidates are somewhat relaxed in the rest of constituencies. Awami League withdrew its own candidates in 26 seats for Jatiya Party and 6 seats to 14-party coalition partners.

Jatiya Party is going to face stiff competition in 16 seats and all six seats vacated for the 14-party alliance likely to see competitive election. In all these constituencies, the strong independent candidates are mainly leaders of Awami League.

Clashes have been taking place in constituencies where a stiff competition is likely.

A supporter of an independent candidate was killed allegedly by the ruling party candidate's supporters in Madaripur’s Kalkini on Saturday. The victim Eskendar Kha, 70, came under attack at Vatabali area in upazila’s Lakkhipur union this morning. Later he died while undergoing treatment at  Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Eskendar Kha was the son of Amir Hossain Kha. He was a member of ward no. 8 ruling Awami League.

Eskendar was a supporter of Tahmina Begum, an independent candidate running with 'Eagle' symbol for Madaripur-3 (Kalkini, Dasar and part of Sadar upazila). Tahmina’s supporters alleged Eskendar has been killed by supporters of ruling Awami League’s candidate and current lawmaker Abdus Sobhan Golap.

Independent candidate Tahmina is the president of Kalkini upazila AL and current lawmaker from a reserved seat while boat candidate Abdus Sobhan Golap is the publicity and publication secretary of the central committee of the ruling party.

Earlier on Thursday, a procession of Tahmina came under an attack of crude bombs. They claimed the supporters of the ruling party candidate carried out the attack.

Tahmina’s supporters hold Abdus Sobhan’s agent Fazlul Haque Bepari responsible for the attack.

Fazlul, however, denied the allegation and said Eskendar had enmity with his cousins over land.  This was behind the attack. He claimed the attack had nothing to do with the election.

“Neither me nor the boat candidate was involved with the attack,” he added.

Officer in charge of Kalkini police station Nazmul Hasan also echoed him saying the prior enmity over land dispute was behind the attack.

“Yet police are investigating the incident,” he added.

The victim's son Milon Kha, however, insisted that the supporters of ruling AL’s candidate were behind the killing.

Later, Tahmina held a press briefing at Kalkini upazila Awami League office where she blamed supporters of ruling party’s candidate for the killing.

A gunshot was fired at the house of a certain Heba Molla, a supporter of independent candidate Mohammad Faisal, in Anandpur village under Mollakandi union of Munshiganj Sadar upazila on Friday night.

Beauty Begum, wife of Heba Molla, said that around 9:00pm over a hundred people came and threatened them as her husband is the supporter of an independent candidate. The bullet went through the window of their house.

After Friday's incident, the election camp and Awami League party office were vandalised in Gajaria upazila. The incident took place at Bhaberchar union of the upazila around 3:30pm yesterday. The supporters of independent candidate Mohammad Faisal have allegedly committed this incident. However, Faisal denies the allegations.

Mrinal Kanti Das is the Awami League candidate in Munshiganj-3 constituency. Independent candidate Mohammad Faisal is a member of the district Awami League executive committee. His father Md Mohiuddin is the president of Awami League’s district committee.

Supporters of independent candidate AK Azad came under attack in Faridpur-3 constituency. The incident took place at Biren Sahar Morh under Eshan Gopalpur union in Sadar upazila at around 8:15pm on Friday. At least five workers of AK Azad were injured in the incident.

The injured persons alleged ruling Awami League candidate Shamim Haque’s supporters led by Eshan Gopalpur union parishad chairman Shahidul Islam carried out the attack.

Denying the allegation, Shahidul told Prothom Alo that he was not even present in the locality during the incident. 

Awami League candidate Nahid Morshed’s supporters allegedly attacked the election camp of independent candidate SM Brohani Sultan Mamud (Gama) in Naogaon-3 constituency. The attack was carried out at Mainam Bazar area in Manda upazila at around 10am on Saturday.

Three activists of the independent candidate were injured in the attack. Two critically injured persons named Alam Sarder and Shamul Islam were admitted to Naogaon Sadar Hospital.

Manda upazila Awami League’s president Nazim Uddin Mandal termed the allegation of attack as baseless.

In Netrokona-1, independent candidate Jannatul Ferdous Ara alleged ruling Awami League candidate Moshtak Ahmed and his supporters attacked her activists, obstructed her campaign and tore down her posters. She made the allegation at a press conference at her residence in Durgapur pourashava’s Kachari Morh area on Saturday afternoon.

Jannatul Ferdous is the former member of district Awami League and current women affairs secretary of Durgapur upazila unit. She is the daughter of former lawmaker freedom fighter Jalal Uddin Talukder.

The ruling party supporters allegedly attacked Bangladesh Congress Party candidate Ashraful Alam alias Hero Alam’s campaign at Muradpur Bazar in Nandigram upazila at around 5:45pm on Saturday.

Nandigram upazila Awami League general secretary and Nandigram pourshava mayor Anisur Rahman claimed the attack was not carried out by AL men.

Jatiya Party candidate Liakat Hossain Khoka’s campaign was allegedly attacked and a rickshaw puller was beaten at Pir Belabo area under Jampur union on Saturday morning.

Liakat’s election coordinator Mahmudul Anowar alleged Awami League men carried out the attack and vandalised the microphone and battery-run auto rickshaw used for the electioneering.

AL candidate, however, claimed the incident took place with the local people over noise of the microphone used for campaign.

Limon Hossain, a supporter of independent candidate Abul Kalam for Natore-1 (Lalpur-Bagatipara) constituency, claimed that he and his father were beaten yesterday afternoon by Awami League candidate Shahidul Islam's supporter Qudrat e Khuda and his associates.

Musa Ali, another activist of Abul Kalam, alleged that Qudrat also beat him up on Friday night.

Qudrat, however, denied the allegations and said they were injured while running.

Former state minister Ahad Ali Sarkar, an independent candidate for Natore-2 (Sadar and Naldanga) constituency, complained to the returning officer that the workers of ruling party candidates tore down all his posters at Joanpur Sheikhpara of Madhnagar union of Naldanga upazila on Friday night.

Naldanga’s office in charge Monowaruzzaman said he along with executive magistrate went to the spot after receiving the allegation but did not find the accused persons. Leaders of the accused persons have been warned, he added.

(Prothom Alo correspondents and correspondents of respective areas contributed to this report.)