Violence marks 4th phase of upazila polls : 4 killed

A total of 31 candidates were elected unofficially as per unofficial election results available from different districts till filing this report at 10:00 pm, as vote count was continuing after the fourth phase of upazila election held across the country Sunday.
Of the results, Awami League-backed chairman candidates won in 17 upazilas, BNP-backed candidates in seven upazilas, Jamaat-backed contestants in 3 upazilas and others in four upazilas.
Agencies add: four people, including an Awami League leader and a Jubo Dal leader, were killed in separate incidents of election violence in Munshiganj, Comilla, Brahmanbaria and Jhalakathi districts during the 4th phase of upazila elections Sunday.  
Voting at 91 upazilas in 43 districts has ended with reports of clashes, invading of polling centres and snatching of ballot papers despite the Election Commission's stern warning against any acts of violence.
Earlier on Friday, the EC had asked the law enforcers to take stern steps against any act of violence and even ordered the law enforcers to shoot at sight if any act of snatching ballot papers comes to their notice.
According to a preliminary estimate, polling was suspended at 18 centres of five Upazilas in four districts due to snatching of ballot papers and other acts of violence, said Election Commission officials.
A total of 10 chairman candidates, mostly backed by BNP, boycotted the upazila elections in Bhola, Barisal, Chittagong, Pirojpur and Jessore districts on Sunday on various allegations.
According to our local correspondents, the number of voting centres where polling was countermanded is more than the Election Commission's preliminary estimate.
In Munshiganj, a local leader of the ruling party was hacked to death in a clash between two rival groups of the party at a polling station in Baluakandi union of Gazaria upazila.
The deceased was identified as Shamsuddin Pradhan (65), chairman of Baluakandi union parishad and president of the union unit of AL.
Meanwhile, the voting in the centre was postponed due to violence, said Sarwar Morshed Chowdhury.
In Comilla, a young man was killed in police firing during a clash between Awami League and BNP activists at Maheshpur polling centre in Barura upazila.
The deceased was identified as Monir Hossain (25), son of Mafiz Uddin of Hossainpur village in the upazila.
In Jhalakathi, a Jubo League activist was killed in an attack allegedly by the supporters of BNP candidate at a polling centre in Rajapur upazila.