29 killed in violence in January alone: MSF

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At least 29 people were killed and over 500 injured in January alone in clashes centering the fifth and sixth phases of Union Parishad (UP) elections across the country, reports UNB.

Manabadhikar Shangskriti Foundation (MSF) revealed the data after collecting information from different media outlets on 109 reported incidents of election-linked violence.

According to the MSF, the violence in the upazila and UP elections this year broke all the previous records. Of the deceased, one was shot dead by his rival group while four others by members of law enforcement agencies, the MSF report says.

The highest number of seven people died in Bagura district while five in Jhenidah, three in Chandpur and two in Narsingdi districts.

On 5 January, police fired 25 gunshots as the supporters of a chairman candidate vandalised a centre, attacked law enforcers and administrative officers over the announcement of results in Gabtoli upazila in Bagura.

Four people, including a woman, died in the clash while five others suffered serious wounds, said the report. A 50-year-old woman, Sumela Khatun, died after suffering a cardiac arrest at a voting centre in Doulatpur upazila of Manikganj during a chase and counter-chase between the supporters of two member candidates on the same day.

On 12 January, a 30-year-old man, Anwarul Islam, was killed reportedly by a newly elected UP member at Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat.

According to the MSF findings, the deaths from election-related violence stood at 92 and the number of injured were more than 4,000 as of 31 December 2021.