Many incidents of violence and irregularities marred the voting in the fourth phase of the union parishad polls yesterday as four more lives were lost and scores injured in clashes across the country.

Meanwhile, two people were killed and at least 50 others injured in a clash between supporters of an Awami League candidate and police at Auchpara union under Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi where polls were supposed to be held yesterday.

The dead are Siddiqur Rahman and Jahidul Islam. Details of their identities could not be known until filing of this report early today.

Locals said the situation at the union had been tense for the last couple of days. The Election Commission on Thursday night postponed the polls in the union following allegations that local AL lawmaker Enamul Haque (Rajshahi-4) was influencing the elections.

Although violence and irregularities were reported in many unions, a large number of voters turned up at the polling centres yesterday to exercise their franchise in the UP polls, considered the most competitive of all elections.

Like in the previous three phases of the UP polls, supporters of chairman and member candidates yesterday indulged in irregularities, including capturing polling stations, stuffing ballot boxes and casting fake votes in over 75 unions. Supporters, mostly of the ruling AL nominees, used firearms and sharp weapons during the clashes.

Some polling officials were also involved in irregularities. Eleven polling officials were detained on charges of committing irregularities. Voting at 51 polling stations in 37 unions was suspended due to violence and irregularities, according to EC officials.

The first two phases of the UP polls on March 22 and 31 saw deadly violence across the country that left 18 people killed and several thousand injured on the polling days. The third phase saw one killed, but numerous incidents of irregularities were reported.

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), a civil society platform, has put the number of death at 71 in violence over UP polls till Thursday.

Elections to 733 UPs are slated for May 28 in the fifth phase while around 700 more unions will go to polls in the sixth and final phase on June 4, said EC officials.

Elections to 725 UPs were held on March 22 in the first phase, 639 UPs on March 31 and 615 UPs on April 22 in the second and third phases.

CLASHES CLAIM LIVES

In Comilla, a youth was hacked to death and at least 10 people were injured when supporters of two member candidates clashed outside a polling station at Madhabpur union of Brahmanpara upazila.

The dead, Tapash Chandra Das, 40, was a trader at Uttar Chandola village of the union. He left behind his wife and four children.

Witnesses said supporters of member candidates Sultan Ahmed and Mohammad Rezaul fought outside the Uttar Chandola Govt Primary School polling centre around 10:30am.

During the clash, some people attacked Tapash with sharp weapons, leaving him dead on the spot, said SM Badiuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Brahmanpara Police Station.

Voting was suspended at the polling centre. The presiding officer and seven assistant presiding officers were “detained for neglecting duties”, said police.

Presiding Officer Binoy Bhushan Nath said some people stormed into the polling booths at the centre, snatched the ballot boxes and started stuffing those. Some member candidates along with their supporters also entered the booths and started stuffing ballots that led to the clash.

In Thakurgaon, a teenage boy was killed and another man injured when police opened fired to disperse clashing supporters of two member candidates at Taldanga Majhkhuria village in Baliadangi upazila.

The dead is Mahbubur Rahman Poltu, 17, of Majhkhuria village in the upazila.

Aminul Islam, OC of Baliadangi Police Station, said supporters of member candidates Gias Uddin and Shah Alam got involved in a clash around 3:00pm.

At one stage, police fired shots at the unruly supporters of Gias Uddin when they tried to snatch ballot boxes from the polling booths at Taldanga Dakhil Madrasa polling centre. Mahbubur and one Nazim Uddin were hit by bullets.

Locals sent the two to Baliadangi Upazila Health Complex where Mahbubur died of his wounds. Nazim was later shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital as his condition deteriorated.

In Narsingdi, a supporter of an independent chairman candidate was killed in an attack allegedly by the activists of the AL candidate at Paratoli union under Raipura upazila.

The victim, Hossain Ali, 60, went to cast his vote at Moddhanagar Govt Primary School centre, said witnesses.

When he reached the centre, supporters of AL candidate Masudur Rahman asked him to cast vote for “boat” symbol. As he refused to comply, the AL men got into an altercation with him.

At one stage, the AL men stabbed Hossain with a sharp weapon.

Hossain was taken to the upazila health complex where he died of his wounds.

In Sadullapur of Gaibandha, a man was killed when police opened fire on supporters of AL rebel candidate Rafiqul Islam last night.

The dead is Lebu Mia, 35, of Damdari village in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur.

Farhad Imrul Kayes, OC of Sadullapur Police Station, said supporters of the AL rebel candidate blocked the Dhaka-Rangpur highway in Dhaperhat Bazar area around 8:00pm, demanding announcement of polls results at the polling centres.

Trying to clear the protesters from the road, police and BGB men fired shots at them, leaving around 10, including Lebu, injured.

Lebu was taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

In Raipura upazila of the district, three people were injured in a clash between supporters of an AL candidate and an independent candidate at Sreenagar union.

In Comilla, law enforcers detained four presiding officers at different polling centres on charges of involvement in irregularities.

A mobile court awarded Mobarok Hossain, presiding officer of Jugirhat Etimkhana polling centre, and four others six month's imprisonment each on charges of vote rigging before the start of the voting yesterday morning.

In Sherpur, a mobile court sentenced a presiding officer to seven days in jail and a member candidate to one month in jail over a “bribe deal" at Hatibandha union of Jhenaigati upazila, reports our correspondent.

Locals and police said Abdul Barik, presiding officer of Loykha Govt Primary School polling centre, went to the house of member candidate Saifuddin early yesterday for making an underhand deal.

Locals caught the two red-handed and handed them over to police.

Violence and irregularities were also reported in Feni, Madaripur, Chuadanga, Sylhet, Kushtia, Laxmipur, Chittagong, Munshiganj, Meherpur, Pabna, Natore and Jamalpur.

VIOLENCE IN RAJSHAHI

The situation in Bagmara upazila turned for the worse yesterday when the supporters of AL nominee Sardar Jaan Mohammad and party rebel candidate Shahiduzzaman chased and counter chased at Hat Gangupara Bazar of Auchpara union, OC Motiar Rahman of Bagmara Police Station told The Daily Star.

In the evening, several hundred supporters of Jaan Mohammad attacked two villages and vandalised houses of at least 30 supporters of Shahiduzzaman, the OC said.

When they were returning to Hat Gangupara Bazar firing shots in the air, police intercepted them. The unruly men attacked law enforcers, leaving seven cops injured, added Motiar.

Police then opened fire on the attackers to disperse them. A little later, cops found Siddiqur and Jahidul lying dead in the area.

At least 50 people were injuries in the incident. Eight of them were sent to Rajshahi Medical College while the injured cops were admitted to Rajshahi Police Lines Hospital.

JOURNOS ASSAULTED

Two journalists were beaten up allegedly by AL men at a polling centre at Barha union under Nawabganaj upazila of Dhaka.

Tapos Kanti Das, senior reporter of the New Age, said he along with photojournalist Indrajit Ghosh of the newspaper went to Agla Choukighata Janamangal High School polling centre yesterday.

When the two entered the centre around 10:40am, some people wearing badges of “boat” symbol intercepted them and asked them why they were seeking votes for “pineapple” symbol.

As the two introduced themselves as newsmen and informed that they knew none of the chairman aspirants, the AL supporters assaulted the journalists and drove them out of the polling centre.

BGB MAN 'COMMITS SUICIDE'

In Jamalpur, a Border Guard Bangladesh member “committed suicide” by shooting himself with his gun in a bathroom of an auditorium in Madarganj upazila town, reports our correspondent.

The deceased, 22-year-old Mahmudul Hasan, was a member of 35 BGB Battalion. He came to Madarganj to discharge polls duties, said Rampada Mandal, officer-in-charge of Madarganj Police Station.

He went to the bathroom around 4:00pm and shot himself with the firearm. He died on the spot. The reason for the suicide could not be known, the OC added.

Police sent the body to Jamalpur General Hospital morgue for an autopsy. 

As violence continued with each phase of the Union Parishad polls gone by, the Election Commission has asked the home ministry to ensure a congenial atmosphere for the next phases.

“Maintaining law and order as well as ensuring voters' security, especially minorities', are the prime pre-requisites for free, fair, impartial and peaceful elections,” said the EC in a letter to the home secretary on Sunday.

“The letter has been sent to remind them [ministry officials] of their duties during elections. Their cooperation is very crucial for fair polls,” said EC Secretary Sirazul Islam.

The EC wrote the letter against the backdrop of violence and irregularities that took place centering on the four phases of UP elections between March 22 and May 7. 

Arresting criminals, recovering arms, curbing violence, increasing police patrol and ensuring voters' security are necessary for ensuring a congenial atmosphere for the next phases, it said.

At least 71 people were killed and some 6,000 injured in violence over UP polls until May 4, according to Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (Shujan), a citizens' platform for good governance.

Thirteen others were killed in violence as of yesterday from last Thursday, according to The Daily Star findings.

Referring to media reports and field-level findings, the EC in the letter stated that violence had increased with time. Some have been killed and some injured; arson attacks, vandalism and looting took place. In some cases, minorities have come under attacks.

Allegations have been raised against supporters of some candidates of preventing their rivals from submitting nomination papers and intimidating rival candidates. There are even accusations against some law enforcers and other “responsible” field-level officials of favouring particular candidates or remaining inactive when irregularities took place.

Many think that violence has increased because listed criminals are at large and no stern action has been taken against arms-bearers, the EC said in the letter signed by its Deputy Secretary Farhad Ahmad Khan.

The EC asked the home ministry to “intensively” monitor activities of law enforcers and to issue directives to law enforcement agencies and field-level officials to ensure peaceful polls.

Violence has continued since the schedule of the first phase was announced in February. 

Following widespread violence in the first and second phase polls, the EC on April 13 held an emergency meeting with top-level officials of law enforcement agencies and paramilitary forces to discuss the law and order situation.

But that hardly brought any change in the third and fourth phases.

During the latest polls on May 8, the EC suspended voting at 51 polling stations for irregularities.

At Jugirhat Hossenia Hafezia Madrasa polling centre in Munshirhat UP, it suspended the voting because of illegal stuffing of ballot boxes.

On Sunday, the commission asked the returning officer (RO) of the UP under Chauddagram upazila of Comilla to file a case against a presiding officer and an assistant presiding officer for their involvement in stuffing ballot boxes.

It also asked the RO to take necessary measures for suspending a police officer for his “negligence in duties” when criminals were carrying out the illegal act.

Meanwhile, civil society organisations, including Governance Advocacy Forum and Shujan questioned the UP polls due to widespread violence and irregularities.

A deputy secretary of the EC said that in many cases field-level officials temporarily appointed for election duties had not properly informed the EC of the irregularities that took place.

Elections to 725 UPs were held on March 22 in the first phase, 639 UPs on March 31 in the second phase, 615 UPs on April 23 in the third phase and 703 UPs on May 7 in the fourth phase.

Polls to 733 UPs are scheduled for May 28 in the fifth phase and 724 on June 4 in the sixth phase.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk yesterday voiced distress that the environment for Sunday's polls was marred by violence and repression of opposition candidates and supporters.

He called on the newly elected government to take steps to renew the country's commitment to democracy and human rights.

"In the months leading up to the vote, thousands of opposition supporters have been detained arbitrarily or subjected to intimidation. Such tactics are not conducive to a truly genuine process," said Türk in a statement.

He said violations and irregularities during the campaign and on election day itself should also be thoroughly and effectively investigated.

The UN official said democracy was hard won in Bangladesh and must not become cosmetic.

"Bangladesh has been a role model of development, and I fervently hope this will translate into the political and institutional spheres too. The future of all Bangladeshis is at stake," he added.

He called upon the government to take the necessary steps to ensure the human rights of all Bangladeshis are fully taken into account, and to strengthen the underpinnings of a truly inclusive democracy in the country.

The statement said mass arrests, threats, enforced disappearances, blackmailing and surveillance were all methods reportedly used by law enforcement officials prior to the ballot, which was boycotted by the main opposition BNP.

"Acts of political violence, including arson attacks allegedly committed by opposition groups, have also been reported," it said.

Türk said around 25,000 opposition supporters have been arrested, including key party leaders, since 28 October. At least 10 opposition supporters reportedly died or were killed in custody in the last two months, raising serious concerns about possible torture or harsh conditions of detention.

The UN high commissioner for human rights said many human rights defenders have been forced to go into hiding, and some have fled the country, while dozens of suspected enforced disappearance cases have been reported, mostly in November.

"These incidents must be independently investigated, and those responsible must be brought to justice in fair and transparent trials," Türk said.

Four more people were killed in the last two days, raising the death toll to around 80 in violence over union parishad polls.

The pre-polls violence continued in different districts, panicking voters ahead of the fifth phase of the elections scheduled for May 28.

Around 6,000 people were also injured in the polls-related violence after the UP polls schedule was announced in February, according to media reports.

In Chittagong, criminals killed a man while he was pasting posters of Awami League's rebel chairman candidate in Islampur in Rangunia upazila early yesterday.

The victim Mohammad Mohsin, 40, was of Khatibnagar of the union.

Claiming Mohsin as his supporter, the rebel candidate, Sirajuddaullah Dulal, alleged that followers of AL chairman candidate Ikbal Hossain Chowdhury killed Mohsin. 

Ikbal denied the allegation.

Mohammad Humayun, officer-in-charge of Rangunia Police Station, said the killing could have been due to a feud over the ownership of a tea stall.

In Narsingdi, the body of a man was found with his throat slit on the bank of a river in Baduarchar yesterday.

Ebaidullah, 30, was a supporter of a member candidate in Hazipur union.

Ebaidullah might have been killed following feud over the polls, said locals. 

In Sylhet, Rokib Miah, 40, was killed over a silly matter in Goalabazar union of Osmaninagar on Monday night.

Member candidate Aptab Miah in Goalabazar union brought out an election procession on Monday afternoon and his men were distributing leaflets.

Six-year-old Marzana, a niece of Rokib, asked for a leaflet. But campaigner Jakir pushed the child aside. Seeing it, her father Dilbar Miah attacked Jakir and injured him.

Rokib along with others took Jakir to his house after his treatment.

While returning from the house, Jakir's relatives attacked and injured them, alleged Rokib's family. 

Later, Rokib was taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital where he died yesterday.

In Munshiganj, Mohammad Hanif, 30, was shot dead Monday night near an election camp of AL chairman candidate in Hosendi union.

Police, however, could not confirm whether the victim was a supporter of any political party or a candidate. 

In Mymensingh, criminals opened fire on Jubo League activist Shafiqul Islam Sohag Fakir.

Sohag was campaigning at Charbariabazar for AL's chairman aspirant in Longair union of Gofargoan Monday night. 

Elections to 725 UPs were held on March 22 in the first phase, 639 UPs on March 31 in the second phase, 615 UPs on April 23 in the third phase and 703 UPs on May 7 in the fourth phase.

Polls to 733 UPs are slated for May 28 in the fifth phase and 724 more UPs on June 4 in the sixth phase.

Our correspondents from Chittagong, Narsingdi, Sylhet, Munshiganj and Mymensingh have contributed to this report.

It is a demonstration of political farsightedness on the part of the Prime Minister to have accepted the proposal of the Oikyafront for a dialogue. Coming against the background of statements from some party high-ups discounting any possibility of talks between the AL and the opposition, it is a very encouraging development. This a good start and we hope the opportunity will be seized upon to iron out and resolve certain thorny issues surrounding holding of the parliamentary elections. We have high expectations and would hope that both the parties would focus on the main point at issue, i.e. how to hold elections that are acceptable to all the political parties, as well as the general people.

To ensure that this meeting does not turn into a futile exercise, both the parties should display a flexible position in the discussions. There are some genuine concerns of both the opposition and the voters about the elections being free and fair. And the ruling party should allay those. The opposition too must not be rigid in their demands. Also, public perception regarding the role of the EC, and its ability to perform its tasks without let or hindrance have been much talked about, and should be addressed by the ruling party.

We understand that these issues cannot all be resolved during a one-off meeting. But dialogue cannot go on ad infinitum. Thus, we hope that both the parties would utilise the opportunity on November 1 to decide to create a mechanism of time-bound dialogue that would create a way to accommodate all the reasonable demands of the political parties contesting the upcoming elections, which can help ensure that the elections remain free, fair and credible.