The first three hours were peaceful, even festive at times as people came in to cast their vote at the polling centres in the Lalmonirhat 3 constituency since early morning.

The presence of female voters was notable, all queuing up in front of polling centres around sadar upazila waiting for their turn.

Polling agents of BNP and Jatiya Party candidates Asadul Habib Dulu and Golam Mohammed Quader respectively were there.

But the scenario started changing radically from 11:00am as Awami League (AL) activists began to arrive. They started calling out to voters, telling them to leave while forcing out BNP agents. No BNP worker or leader returned fearing attacks.

In some centres even police carried out such acts, snatching voter lists from BNP agents.

A correspondent of The Daily Star was present in a polling centre set up inside Lalmonirhat Government High School.

The presiding officer there, Rakibuzzaman, had locked himself inside a classroom after suspending voting around 12:30pm while some 300-400 AL men clamoured inside the school.

A judicial magistrate arrived half an hour later and coaxed him out. A visibly shaken Rakibuzzaman informed that the voting boxes, stamps and ballot papers had been taken away by the AL men. The judicial magistrate then left.

“Voting has been suspended in consultation with the UNO (upazila nirbahi officer) as the situation here was tense,” Rakibuzzaman replied on request for a comment.

On what happened to the voting materials, he abruptly turned around and again locked himself inside the classroom.

By 1:00pm the scenario had turned grim in most of the upazila's 89 polling centres: either voting was suspended or they were occupied by the AL men.

A correspondent of The Daily Star witnessed a local AL leader, Sumon Khan, and his men take over the Khochabari Primary School centre around 11:00am. They forced all others out within half an hour.

Villagers of Kulaghat came rushing to the correspondent during a visit to inform that AL men wielding sticks had chased them away from a voting centre in the local high school. They said normalcy returned when the army arrived.

Villagers of Shakoa staged agitations on a road after police created panic by chasing away voters, some even to their doorsteps, from the Shakoa Taj Mahmud High School centre.

BNP's Rajpur union publication secretary, Tojammel Haque, 62, died in Rangpur Medical College Hospital around 2:00pm on suffering injuries during a clash between AL and BNP men at Paglarhat Government Primary School in the initial hours.

Voting at the centre was suspended for some time.

Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain has urged people to bring about a "vote revolution" by exercising franchise, and said December 30 will be another victory day for the nation with the Oikyafront coming out victorious.

"We won in the past, and we will win this time too. December 30 will be another victory day. You will bring about a vote revolution on that day," he said at a press conference yesterday.

The eminent jurist made the call after attending an emergency meeting of the steering committee of the opposition alliance at his chamber in the capital's Purana Paltan.

Calling upon the voters to cast ballots for “sheaf of paddy”, he said, “The symbol does not belong to any party. It stands as a symbol of unity. Cast your votes for this symbol to free the nation.”

He further said the Oikyafront's win in the polls will be a victory for the people, not for any component of the alliance.

"People's ownership of the country will be restored through the vote revolution.”

The people of this country never bowed down to arms, money and power, he said.

"There is nothing to fear. We fought autocrats throughout our life, and we won, not the autocrats. Had the autocrats won, there would have been no '71 and no Bangladesh," observed Dr Kamal, also president of the Gonoforum.

Urging the voters to go to polling centres in groups early in the morning, he said, "You will be able to enjoy freedom if you cast ballots for sheaf of paddy." 

If the Oikyafront is voted to power, the administration would work for the people, instead of protecting the interests of any party, he pledged.

Speaking at the press conference, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “The government has already suffered a moral defeat as it is trying to ensure victory by using the state machinery.”

Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddiqui, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, and Gonoforum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury, among others, were present at the press conference.

Earlier in a written statement to the media, the Oikyafront convener said the election was just two days away, but the level playing field was still absent.

The people expected that the situation would change following deployment of the army, Dr Kamal mentioned.

"But the army's role in the election is totally controlled by the Election Commission," he said, adding that it is difficult to expect an effective role of the army in a "controlled election".

"Yet, we hope the people, who are the owner of the country, will be able to exercise the right to vote in a peaceful environment. The Election Commission has to ensure that."

Otherwise, the EC will have to take full responsibility for all its failures and will be held accountable to the people, warned Dr Kamal.

He further said it seems that the public and the police administration as well as the state machinery unilaterally got engaged in destroying effective democracy in the country by taking the chance of "the EC's bias".

"We should not forget that destroying democracy is tantamount to denying Bangladesh's existence and the constitution."

The Oikyafront convener said there is a “tide of the masses” in favour of “sheaf of paddy” despite numerous obstructions, arrests, attacks, filing of cases, arson, bombing, biased behaviour of the administration, inactiveness of the EC, ghost cases and intimidation.

"Today, the people and the voters are the Oikyafront's main hope. Those, who did not make mistakes in the past, will not make mistakes this time as well."

The people consider voting as a festival, but they were deprived of it after the ninth parliamentary polls, he said.

"We hope that the people, who are now united, will thwart any anti-people blueprint of the government and the Election Commission."

He urged the people to vote for their preferred candidates to ensure their ownership of the country and restore democracy.

"The country achieved independence in 1971 because the people were united. If the people remain united, effective democracy and the rule of law will soon be ensured," he remarked.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today accused the BNP-led alliance of engaging in violence and carrying out bomb attacks realising imminent election defeat.

"The Jatiya Oikyafront lost its sense seeing huge public support for AL. Now, they are trying to trigger violence," he said after voting at Udayan Kindergarten polling centre in Basurhat municipality in the morning.

About 3,000 AL leaders and activists were injured until Saturday night but there is no report of injury from the opposition party, he claimed.

"The election is being held peacefully except for some stray incidents," Quader said. "I believe the voting will end peacefully ... [and] the people's expectation will be fulfilled."

Quader said he would accept the election result. "I am 100 percent hopeful about the AL-led grand alliance's victory," he said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all stakeholders to ensure an environment free of violence, intimidation and coercion before, during and after Sunday's general election in Bangladesh.

In the run-up to the polls, he said an environment free from violence would help enable a peaceful, credible and inclusive election.

In a statement yesterday, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN secretary-general, said, “All Bangladeshi citizens, including minorities and women, must feel safe and confident in exercising their right to vote. Civil society and electoral observers should be fully supported to play their role in the process.”

Guterres also reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh, it added.

The call for a peaceful and free, fair and inclusive election comes at a time when violence continues across the country before the 11th parliamentary election.

Last week, the UN said it is closely following the situation ahead of the polls in Bangladesh. 

On December 10, Dujarric said, “We believe, as a matter of principles, that elections should be held in a positive climate, free from any sort of intimidation.” 

In another development, the US yesterday expressed concern by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at the Election Commission Secretariat, US Ambassador Earl Miller said he asked for this meeting because the US is concerned by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks, says an embassy statement.

All parties have been victims of violence, including minorities and female candidates. However, it appears opposition party candidates have borne the brunt of most violence, he said. 

Miller added, “I appreciated the opportunity to consult with the Election Commission to see what plans it has to create a conducive atmosphere, so all Bangladeshis, no matter their political affiliation, feel safe to go to the polls on Sunday and cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.

“Bangladesh is rightfully proud of its democratic traditions, including elections where upwards of 70 percent of the electorate turns out to vote. In any democratic election there must be space for peaceful expression and assembly; for independent media to do its job covering electoral developments; for participants to have access to information; and for all individuals to be able to partake in the electoral process without harassment, intimidation, or violence.”

The US wishes all Bangladeshis a free, fair, tolerant and peaceful election day on Sunday, the envoy added.

The United States is concerned on the high-level of pre-election violence over the last two weeks, which the oppositions have borne the brunt.

"All parties have been victims of violence including minorities and female candidates. However, it appears that the opposition candidates had borne the brunt of most violence,” US Ambassador Earl Robert Miller said.

He came up with the comments while briefing journalists after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at the Nirbachon Bhaban in Dhaka today.

He appreciated the opportunity to consult with the commission to see what plans it has made for a conducive atmosphere which would allow all people of every political affiliation to feel safe to go to the polling stations on the election day and cast their votes for their candidates of choice.

US wishes a free, fair and peaceful election will be held in Bangladesh on December 30, the statement said.