Woman dies in Bagerhat over UP polls violence

A woman was killed in a clash following the election to Chandpai Union Parishad in Mongla upazila on Sunday night, UNB reports.

The deceased was identified as Fatema Begum ,70 .

Witnesses said supporters of Chandpai Union Parishad member candidate Matiar Rahman Moral and supporters of rival candidate Shafiqul Islam locked into a clash over the polls, leaving Fatema dead on the spot and four others injured.

The wounded are Matiar Rahman Moral, Borhan Sheikh (35), Israfil Sheikh (28) and Awal Moral (40).

Police detained two suspects from the spot.

Officer-in-charge of Mongla Police Station Mohammad Monirul Islam said ,” The matter is under investigation. How she died would be known after an autopsy. We have detained two for interrogation.”

Voting is underway in 65 UPs under nine upazilas in a peaceful environment.

Voters have gathered in the polling centres since Monday morning to exercise their voting rights. However, out of 65 union parishads in the district, 39 candidates of Awami League have been elected as chairman unopposed.

According to the Bagerhat District Election Office, polling is going on in 65 out of 75 unions of Bagerhat District. As many as 3,121 candidates are vying in the elections.

Of them, 98 are for the post of chairman, 768 for the post of member in the reserved ward and 2,255 for the post of member in the general ward.

The total number of voters in these unions is 945,188. Voters are casting their votes in 599 polling centres. Besides, electronic voting machines (EVM) have been deployed for four unions of Fakirhat, Rampal and Mongla upazilas.

Bagerhat District Election Officer Faraji Benozir Ahmed said no untoward incident has been reported so far.