Two killed in polls violence

Two people were killed and at least 43 others injured as supporters of rival candidates clashed in six districts yesterday and on Wednesday night.
Since electioneering began on December 18, violent clashes were reported in at least 150 places. Campaigning for the January 7 election ends today at 8:00am.
In Cumilla's Chandina upazila, three journalists and 14 supporters of an independent candidate were injured in two attacks by the ruling party nominee's men yesterday.
In Munshiganj, Dalim Sarker, 35, a supporter of the Awami League candidate, was shot dead allegedly by the supporters of Mohammad Faisal, an AL leader who is running for parliament as an independent.
Witnesses said Dalim, a resident of Munshikandi area, was at a makeshift campaign office of AL nominee Mrinal Kanti Das early yesterday when Faisal's men stormed in and opened fire.
They assaulted an activist named Sohel Rana and shot Dalim, said Mrinal's supporter Hasibul Islam Shanto, adding that he was present at the scene.
Dalim was first taken to Munshiganj General Hospital and then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). He was pronounced dead around 4:00am, said Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Masud of the hospital's police outpost.
Mrinal said the deceased and the injured were his supporters, but refused to make further comments.
Faisal said his supporters were not involved in violence, adding that Mrinal's men attacked each other because of rifts within the camp.
Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge of Munshiganj Sadar Police Station, last night said a suspect named Shipon Patwari was arrested at Dhaka airport while he was trying to flee the country.
In another incident, Jahangir Panchayat, 55, a resident of Badura area of Pirojpur, died at DMCH yesterday morning hours after he was stabbed, said his family members.
He was a supporter of Shamim Shahnewaj, an independent vying for Pirojpur-3, and he was attacked by a supporter of another candidate, said his family members.
The attacker is a local man named Sirajul Faraji, they added.
The victim's nephew Shah Alam said the killing took place due to rivalry over the election.
Jahangir's uncle Tuku said Jahangir and the attacker had enmity for years, and the assault took place using the election as a pretext.
Shah Alam said Jahangir was stabbed on his head and hit by a hammer by Sirajul near Badura Bazar on Wednesday afternoon.
Sirajul is a supporter of independent candidate Rustum Ali Faraji.
Neither Rustum nor Sirajul could be contacted over phone.
Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mathbaria Police Station, said Sirajul and Jahangir earlier filed cases against each other over land dispute.
In Chandina, Cumilla, AL nominee Pran Gopal Dutta's supporters assaulted the supporters of Muntakim Ashraf, a local AL leader running as an independent, in Hossainpur area, said the latter.
Pran Gopal's supporters again attacked Muntakim's men in the evening in Kaliarchar area, he added.
The journalists injured in the incidents are Sohel Rana of Daily Mukto Khabar, Abdul Baten of The Daily Jugantor, and Jakir Hossain of Naya Diganta.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Baten of Jugantor said, "We were beside the motorcade of Pran Gopal. When we heard a commotion a little ahead, we went there. But the campaigners assaulted us because we were filming the violence."
Pran Gopal could not be reached for comments.
In Chattogram's Mirsharai upazila, locals said four activists of independent candidate Gias Uddin were assaulted yesterday by supporters of the ruling party nominee.
Shahidul Islam, OC of Mirsharai Police Station, said police were aware of the incident.
The incident took place when both the groups came face to face at Kalibari area under Jamalpur Sadar upazila around 8:00pm on Wednesday.
In Jamalpur-5 constituency, at least 20 people including five journalists were injured and three motorbikes were burnt in a clash between supporters of AL candidate Abul Kalam Azad and independent Rezaul Karim.
Rezaul and Azad blamed each other for violence.
Mohabbat Kabir, OC of Jamalpur Sadar Police Station, said law enforcers rushed to the spot and calmed the situation.
Criminals set fire to two rooms of a primary school, a polling station for Sunday's 12th parliamentary elections, in Barishal's Babuganj upazila on Wednesday midnight.
Teachers of Ghatak Char Government Primary School yesterday found that furniture in two rooms were burnt down overnight.
Contacted, OC of Airport Police Station Lokman Hossain said police were looking into the matter.
In Chattogram, a campaign office of independent candidate Abdul Motalab was set on fire early yesterday, said Sohidul Kabir, coordinator of the Motaleb's campaign.
In Narsingdi's Shibpur, a supporter of independent candidate Sirajul Islam Mollah was injured and one of his election campaign offices was vandalised on Wednesday night.
Police visited the scene and saw evidence of vandalism, said Farid Uddin, OC of Shibpur Police Station.
In Jhenaidah town, the administration yesterday imposed section 144 in two places in the town as AL candidate Tahzeeb Alam Siddiqui announced holding a rally at a place close to where independent Nasser Shahriar Zahedi was scheduled to hold an event.
[Our correspondents from respective districts contributed to this report]
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