Turnout in the first phase of Union Parishad elections was about 74 percent despite widespread violence across the country which left at least 10 people dead and many wounded.

Election Commission Secretary Sirazul Islam told this to reporters at his office in Dhaka this afternoon, a day into the lowest tier of local government election in partisan manner.

The festive mood of yesterday's polls was largely marred by electoral irregularities and incidents of clashes between supporters of rival candidates.

At least 10 people died and around a thousand others were wounded in the violence during the elections.