Violence on over UP polls

At least one person was killed and over a dozen were injured in violence over union parishad polls in several districts in last two days.

With this, around 115 people have been killed so far in poll-related violence since the announcement of the election schedule in February, according to media reports and Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik.

In Narsingdi, a youth was killed and 10 people were injured and 10 houses were vandalised during a clash between supporters of a defeated chairman candidate and newly elected chairman of Nilakkya union in Raipura upazila yesterday.

The dead is Liton Miah, 28, of Amirabad village in the same union.

The clash broke when supporters of Chairman Tajul Islam attacked the supporters of Abdul Haque Sarker at Atoshali Bazar area around noon.

A supporter of Sarker, Liton died on the spot when a crude bomb went off, said witnesses.

Azaharul lslam, officer-in-charge of Raipura Police Station, said additional law enforcers were deployed there to avoid further clashes.

Election to the UP was held on May 7.

In Bogra, at least four BNP men were injured in an attack allegedly by some Awami League men in Gohali Bazar of Gohali union in Shahjahanpur upazila on Tuesday afternoon.

The attack took place when some BNP men were electioneering for the party chairman candidate.

In Manikganj, some Hindus formed human chain in front of the district press club yesterday demanding punishment of attackers of Ananda Saha, a defeated independent chairman aspirant at Bhararia union under Manikganj Sadar upazila.

They alleged that supporters of AL candidate Anwar Hossain Angur launched an attack on Ananda, his brother Chandan Saha and some of his supporters around 11:45pm on Monday when they were taking tea at Amar Kanon tea stall at Bhararia Bazar.

Armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks and sharp weapons, the attackers beat them up and looted gold jewellery worth about Tk 3.45 lakh and mobile handsets worth around Tk 60,000 from them, alleged the protesters.

The May 28 polls to the UP saw independent candidate Abdul Kader unofficially elected chairman.

[Our correspondents in Narsingdi, Bogra and Manikganj contributed to this report.]