2 more killed in election violence

Two more people who were injured in clashes during Wednesday's municipal election in Barguna and Kishoreganj died from their wounds yesterday.

Nurul Islam, 65, of Dhupti village in Barguna Sadar upazila, died at Barguna General Hospital around 11:45am, while Abul Kashem, 55, of Holihor village in Kishoreganj's Hossainpur upazila, at Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 10:30am.

With yesterday's two, three people have been killed in the polls violence.

On Wednesday morning, Nurul Amin, of Boaliapara in Chittagong's Satkania upazila, was shot dead near Satkania Govt Primary School centre when supporters of two councillor aspirants traded bullets.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ishak, elder son of Nurul Islam in Barguna, claimed that his father was caught in chaos of a clash and somehow got injured when he went to Barguna town to see voting at Gagon Govt Primary School polling centre, reports our Patuakhali correspondent.

At least 25 people, including Nurul, were wounded in the clash between supporters of Awami League-backed mayor candidate Kamrul Ahsan Maharaj and AL rebel candidate Shahadat Hossain around 10:0am.

In the clash, Maharaj also suffered rubber bullet injuries. He is now undergoing treatment at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College. In this municipality, the AL rebel candidate won.

However, Reaz Hossain, officer-in-charge of Barguna Sadar Police Station, claimed that Nurul might have died due to his old age.

A case was filed aganist over 500 unknown people with the police station in connection with the clash.

Shipon Haider, younger brother of deceased Abul Kashem in Kishoreganj's Hossainpur upazila, said his brother was a fish trader, but he was an election campaigner for councillor candidate Shahjahan Alam Kajol in ward-2 of Hossainpur municipality.

The supporters of another councillor candidate, Jahirul Islam, swooped on Kashem around 1:30pm at Hossainpur Dakhil Madrasa polling centre as his brother campaigned for Kajol, he alleged.

“They killed my brother by beating mercilessly with iron rods and sticks. They left him there in a critical condition and fled,” Shipon told The Daily Star yesterday.

The victim, Kashem, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) late last night, said Sentu Chandra Das, assistant sub-inspector of DMCH police camp.