Violence marks polls campaign, 2 dead

Supporters of the ruling Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party clashed in different places on Tuesday, leaving two AL men dead.

However, the BNP leaders and activists alleged, their candidates and supporters came under attacks by the ruling party men in at least 16 districts.

In some places, the AL camp alleged the BNP men attacked their supporters.

The BNP candidates’ motorcades, including that of the party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, reportedly came under attack as they went to their respective constituencies to seek votes.

Only into the second day of the election campaign, hundreds were injured as electioneering turned violent, Prothom Alo correspondents reported from the spots.

On a day full of reports of massive pre-polls violence across the country, two Awami League men were killed in Noakhali and Faridpur.

Jubo League leader Mohammad Hanif was killed in a pre-election clash between supporters of the AL and the BNP at Eojbalia in Sadar upazila of Noakhali.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sudharam police station Anwar Hossain said the supporters of AL Noakhali-4 candidate Ekramul Karim Chowdhury and BNP’s M Shahjahan engaged in a fight over election campaign.

Hanif suffered bullet wounds during the clash and died on way to hospital. Syed Mohiuddin Abdul Azim, a physician of Noakhali General Hospital,  confirmed to Prothom Alo that Hanif was bullet-hit in his leg.

In Faridpur, Yusuf Al Mamun, 40, cultural affairs secretary of North Channel union unit of AL. was killed in an attack allegedly by the BNP supporters at Goaldangi in Sadar upazila at night, reports UNB.

Witnesses said Mamun had an altercation with two BNP activists at a local tea stall around 8:30pm over the upcoming election and prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

At one stage, the BNP men punched him and beat him with a stick. He was taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead.

In Karimpur in Noakhali sadar, Jubo League leader, M Zahir Uddin, 30, suffered bullet injuries in an attack by miscreants around 12:30pm.

The ruling party activists allegedly attacked BNP leaders and activists in Kabirhat upazila over holding a rally of BNP candidate for Noakhali-5 seat Moudud Ahmed, leaving 30 people injured.

Local ward AL president Lalon Fakir was also injured as he tried to prevent the attack.

In Thakurgaon, the motorcade of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came under attack at Danarhat at noon on his way to the district town from Saidpur Airport, leaving at least 10 people injured.

BNP district president Taimur Rahman alleged that a group of Awami League leaders and activists made the attack on Fakhrul’s motorcade around 12:05 pm, damaging at least eight vehicles of the BNP leader’s motorcade.

In Bogura, at least 12 people were injured when the motorcade of BNP aspirant Golam Mohammad Siraj for Bogura-5 constituency came under attack in Dhunat upazila headquarters around 10:30 am while he was going to attend election rallies at Nimgachhi and Elangi.

Golam Mohammad Siraj, a former MP, at a press briefing blamed the activists of the ruling party for the attack.

In Manikganj, the motorcade of BNP candidate for Manikganj-3 constituency Afroza Khan Rita came under an attack by a group of miscreants near Kalu Shah Shrine in Saturia upazila around 4pm during electioneering, leaving 10 people injured.

Also the motorcade of BNP candidate of Jhalakathi-2 constituency Jeba Amin Khan came under attack by miscreants in airport area on Tuesday afternoon on her way to Jhalakathi.

She claimed some miscreant chanting ‘Joy Bangla’ slogans attacked her motorcade as she was heading towards her constituency for electioneering.

In Rajshahi, BNP candidate Mizanur Rahman Minu accused the AL men of vandalising the BNP office on Monday night. They filed complaint with the returning officer about the incident.

In Natore, four BNP men including a former union parishad chairman were injured in attacks allegedly by AL men in Sadar and Singra upazila.

AL and BNP men clashed several times in Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali on Tuesday, leaving around 100 activists of both the parties injured.

In a separate incident in district’s Dumki upazila, rallies of AL and BNP were postponed as both camp clashed several times.

In Khulna, the BNP men alleged, AL tore posters of BNP candidates, attacked BNP activists and vandalised the party’s offices. The AL denied the allegations.

BNP candidate of Chuadanga-1 constituency Sharifuzzaman Sharif alleged that he was attacked on Monday night while campaigning, He sought the returning officer to provide police protection for his safety.

BNP candidate of Meherpur-2 constituency Javed Masud Milton alleged that AL and Chhatra League men vandalised the local BNP office in Gangni upazila.

At least 30 men were injured in a clash between BNP and AL men in Phoolpur upazila of Mymensingh.

Four were arrested from Netrokona’s Durgapur upazila as AL and BNP clash left four injured.

(This report is compiled by Galib Ashraf)