At least 29 people were killed and over 500 injured in January last during clashes centering the fifth and sixth phases of Union Parishad elections across the country. Manabadhikar Shangskriti Foundation (MSF) revealed the data after collecting information about 109 reported incidents of election-linked violence from different media. Read: Voting underway for 6th phase of UP polls According to the MSF, the violence during the Upazila and Union Parishad elections this year broke all the previous records. Of the deceased, one was shot dead by his rival group while four others by members of law enforcement agencies, the MSF report says. The highest number of seven people died in Bagura district while five in Jhenidah, three in Chandpur and two in Narsingdi districts. On January 5, police fired 25 gunshots as the supporters of a chairman candidate vandalised a centre and attacked law enforcers, administrative officers over the announcement of resuts in Gabtoli upazila, Bagura. Four people, including a woman, died during the clash while five others suffered serious wounds, said the report. A 50-year-old woman, Sumela Khatun, died after suffering a cardiac arrest at a voting centre in Doulatpur upazila of Manikganj during a chase and counter-chase between the supporters of two member candidates on the same day. Read:Post-polls violence: 2 killed, 20 injured in Narsingdi On January 12, a 30-year-old man, Anwarul Islam, was killed reportedly by a newly elected UP member over the election at Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat. According to the MSF findings, the deaths from election-related violence stood at 92 and the number of injured were more than 4,000 as of December 31, 2021.

Two brothers were hacked to death and 10 people injured in a clash centering the upcoming union parishad elections in Gangni upazila of  Meherpur district on Monday morning. The deceased were identified as Jaharul Islam, 55, and his brother Sahadul Islam, 50, sons of Sultan Miah of Laxminarayanpur Dhalagram village. Read: 15 hurt in Pabna pre-polls violence UP member Azmain Hossain Tutul, also a candidate, said when he went to seek votes in the village some supporters of rival UP member candidate Atiar Rahman attacked them with sharp weapons, leaving the two brothers dead on spot and several others seriously injured. Tutul took shelter in a nearby house. Police later rescued him and admitted him to Gangni Hospital. Besides, six other injured people were sent to Kushtia Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. Tutul also said that his younger brother Enamul Hossain Nailu was hacked to death by Atiar Rahman’s people a few years ago and a case is still pending in the court. Read:Pre-poll violence: 4 killed, 15 injured in Narsingdi However, Atiar Rahman could not immediately be reached for comment. Md Bazlur Rahman, Officer-in-charge of Gangni Police Station, said additional police have been deployed at the spot after recovering the bodies of the two brothers and the situation is now under control. However, no case has been filed yet in this regard, the OC added.

With the official campaign period set to end tonight, parts of Bagerhat district are approaching Monday’s union parishad elections buzzing with anticipation. Despite the BNP’s refusal to participate significantly reducing the competitive edge to the p0lls, the presence of Awami League rebel candidates in a number of unions – more than the Jatiya Party candidates – has meant that not all the ruling party-backed candidates can afford to take things easy. Aware of the potential for embarrassment, the AL  central command has not shied away from coming down hard against their rebel candidates. So far, the party has sacked 22 chairman candidates for mounting rebel candidacies upon failing to secure the party’s official backing. Also read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings Postponed due to Covid, the elections to 161 Union Parishad (UPs) in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Noakhali, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, as well as to 9 municipalities, were rescheduled for  September 20.   Bagerhat district will see elections to 65 union parishads, with an electorate numbering  9,65,472 eligible to cast their vote – although a large number of them will be deprived of the opportunity even, to exercise their right to franchise.   This is because returning officers at as many as 39 of these unions have already declared the ruling party candidates as unopposed victors. In the remaining 26 unions, electronic voting machines (EVM) will be deployed for four of the UP elections, that are spread across Fakirhat, Rampal and Mongla upazilas. Bagerhat District Awami League General Secretary Bhuiyan Hemayet Uddin said that the party has taken a zero tolerance policy towards the rebel candidates – clearly the AL’s biggest, or perhaps even only headache ahead of the polls. “Already 22 have been sacked from AL, more will follow if they don’t comply,” Bhuiyan said. UNB talked separately with the chairman candidates at Lokpur Union Parishadm in Fakirhat upazila. Also read: Now state ‘backs corruption’: BNP MD Selim Reza of Awami League, Imran Sikder of Jatiya Party, and independent candidate Gazi Mohammad, all sounded optimistic of securing victory in a battle for voter’s minds. On the other hand, Sheikh Mahitur Rahman Paltan, already the chairman-elect of Karapara Union within Bagerhat Sadar thanks to an unopposed election, said that the reason behind no other candidate running for the post was their fear of certain defeat – that he at least believes to be well-founded. Talking to UNB, Bagerhat District Election Officer Farazi Benzir Ahmed said, “The Election Commission has taken all preparations to ensure a peaceful election. Police, BGB, Rab, executive magistrates and Ansar personnel will be posted at key points of the district to ensure that.”

An Awami League (AL) leader in Bogura’s Fapor union was allegedly hacked to death on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Mominul Islam Rocky, 33, the general secretary of Bogura Sadar's Fapor Union Awami League unit, and son of Sirajul Islam of Mandalpara village in the union. Read: Covid claims 15 more lives in Bogura He was also a probable candidate for the post of Awami League chairman in the upcoming union parishad elections. According to locals, Rocky did not live in the area but would often come here for various party programmes. Around 9.30pm on Tuesday, Rocky was talking to some people in an open field in the Hatkhola area when a group of miscreants surrounded him and attacked him with sharp weapons. Read: Journalist held under DSA in Bogura Locals rushed him to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital, where he died around 10.30pm during treatment. Though the cousin of the deceased, Shahadat Hossain Gani, said that Rocky was killed by drug peddlers active in the area, locals claimed that he might have been killed by rival group members ahead of UP elections. There were several cases lodged against the deceased at Sadar police station, including that of murder. Read:Bogura youth hacked to death in a clash Bogura Sadar Circle Additional Superintendent of Police Faisal Mahmud said that a search operation was launched in the area soon after the murder. However, the police could not immediately identity those behind the gruesome murder and ascertain the reason behind the crime.

BNP has decided not to participate in the upcoming Union Parishad elections as it has got frustrated over the election process.