With the election 14 days away, campaigning should be in full swing but the situation in Khulna is different.

Campaign activities for AL candidates in the city and villages of upazilas of Khulna were energetic but supporters of non-ruling party candidates, particularly the BNP and Jamaat, was hardly seen electioneering during a visit to three, out of six, constituencies in Khulna yesterday.

There was an uneasy calm and many kept themselves carefully away from campaigning or even discussing the December 30 polls.

A cross section of locals said those who support the BNP or the Jamaat-e-Islami have either kept themselves away from campaigning or have started electioneering for the AL to “avert police trouble or harassment”.

There were plenty of campaign offices and posters of AL candidates but hardly any of BNP candidates in Sonadanga, Ship Bari Intersection, Moyla Pota, Rupsha, Jail Khana Ghat, Picture Palace Crossing, Bakshi Para in Khulna-2; Rupsha Ferry Ghat, Elaipur, Noyhati, Kajdia, Ghat Bhogh, Lockpur, Sheikhpura, Shaili, Goara, Palerhat and Senerhat in Khulna-4; and Full Bari Gate, Mohsin More, Daulatpur, Baikari, Goalkhali, and Pabla in Khulna-3 constituency.

In Khalishpur area, where some factories are located, the number of posters of BNP candidates was higher than it was elsewhere in the city.

Almost no one was talking about the election at markets and tea-stalls in the areas where people are often heard discussing political matters.

Many avoided talking to these correspondents when approached for comments on the polls. Some did say that everything was going well and that the AL candidates were going to win.

However, after some chit-chat and following repeated assurances that they would not be in trouble of any sort, a number of the constituents said people were publicly saying that the AL candidate would win and that they would vote for AL candidates, but given the chance to cast their votes, they would vote for the BNP candidates.

“I used to support the BNP, but now I am an Awami League man as I do not want any trouble,” said a smiling tea vendor at Rupsha Ferry Ghat on Friday.

He said their shop owners' association leaders had asked him to join a campaign procession of AL candidate Abdus Salam Murshidi that day. All 200 shop owners of the association would close their shop at 2:00pm and join the procession, he had said.

He said, “In any procession of AL candidate you will see, let's say, 5000 people. In reality, 2,000 of them are BNP men. They will vote for BNP candidates like me.”

Similar comments were made by others these correspondents spoke to in Daulatpur, Sheikhpura, Sonadanga, and Fulbari Gate.

Another tea-stall owner at Kajdia Bazar of Rupsha, said in the locality there was no festivity centring the election.

“People who come to my stall show no interest in the election,” the shop owner said.

Sheikh Salauddin Jewel of AL and Nazrul Islam Monju of BNP are contesting in Khulna-2 (Sadar and Sonadanga) constituency; Abdus Salam Murshedi of AL and Azizul Bari Helal of BNP in Khulna-4 (Rupsha-Terokhada-Digholia); Begum Monnujan Sufian of AL and Rokibul Islam Bokul of BNP (Khalishpu-Daulatpur-Khanjahan Ali) are contesting Khulna-3.

It was the deadliest phase of the ongoing polls to union parishads.

At least 12 people, including two school-goers and two candidates, were killed in violence during yesterday's fifth-phase voting that was also marked by various irregularities.

Before yesterday, the highest number of people killed in election-day violence was 10, and it was in the first of the six phases of the staggered UP polls.

The election-day death toll in the five phases now stands at 37.

This apart, violence erupted also during electioneering and after the polls since February, leaving 76 more dead.

More than 200 people were also injured, many of them shot, as the supporters of chairmen and member candidates got locked in fierce clashes yesterday, when 717 unions went to polls.

Most of the casualties were the results of clashes between supporters of ruling Awami League candidates and party rebels in around 60 unions.

Deaths were reported from Jamalpur, Chittagong, Noakhali, Comilla, Panchagarh and Narayanganj.

The supporters of candidates captured polling stations and stuffed ballot boxes, like in the previous four phases.

Voting in 120 centres was called off as law and order went out of control, according to the Election Commission.

Until yesterday, the total number of deaths in UP polls violence stood at 101, according to civil body platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan). Of the deceased, 40 were supporters of AL nominated chairman candidates while 12 were loyal to AL rebel candidates and two were supporters of BNP candidates. Most of the rest were people with no political affiliation. There were a few from Jatiya Party and Jatiyatabadi Samajtantrik Dal.

Jamalpur saw the worst violence yesterday in which at least four people, including two children, were killed.

Over 100 others were injured when supporters of AL and AL rebel chairman candidates locked in a fierce clash over taking control over a polling centre in Bahadurabad union.

Witnesses said armed supporters of AL candidate Shakiruzzaman Rakhal and AL rebel candidate Sajahan Mia clashed around 10:15am at the polling station.

The law enforcers tried to control the situation but Jahangir Alam, general secretary of Bahadurabad union parishad, said, "All the three parties fired bullets that left four people shot."

Majed, 15, of class-VIII and Nabirul, 16, of class-IX of a local school were among those hit. Majed died on the spot while Nabirul died on his way to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Shariful Huq, additional superintendent of Jamalpur police, told this paper.

Police fired at least 140 shots to control the situation, he said.

Locals said Majed and Nabirul had gone to Khutarchar Ebtedayee Madrasa polling centre to see the voting.

Nurul Islam, 55, and Ziaur Rahman, 35, were also shot and they died in local hospitals.

At least 10 policemen and Ansar men were injured in the clash, reports our correspondent there.

The deputy commissioner of the district has formed a four-member probe body, led by an additional district magistrate, and asked it to submit a report within three days.

In Chittagong, two people, including a member candidate, were killed and several others injured when supporters of AL chairman candidate Md Ali and AL rebel chairman candidate Didarul Alam locked in a clash outside Fakirnir Hat Sunnia Madrasa polling station in Barauthan union around 1:00pm.

They were armed with firearms and sharp weapons.

Yasin, 34, an independent member candidate from Barauthan Union Parishad was stabbed outside the polling centre at that time, locals said.

Doctors at Chittagong Medical College Hospital declared him dead at 1:30pm. Hossain, 30, was also taken to the hospital with stab wounds and was declared dead in the evening.

In another incident, one person was killed and several others, including three police constables were injured as supporters of two member candidates clashed at South Ashia Shah Amanat Hefzakhana polling centre in Ashia union around 11:30am.

Police and eyewitnesses said the followers of member candidates Nurul Karim and Shafiqul Islam locked in clash accusing each other of casting fake votes.

They hurled brick chunks and fired shots at each other, said Sergeant Saiful Islam, who was in charge of the centre's security.

"We too fired four bullets to disperse the mob," he added.

In the melee, Babul Shil was seriously injured after being beaten up. He died at Patiya Upazila Health Complex in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, presiding officer of Kazipara Govt Primary School polling centre, Manjurul Alam, 55, died of cardiac arrest while discharging his duties at Haidgaon of Patiya around 3:30pm, reports our correspondent there.

In Noakhali, two people were killed in separate incidents at two unions of Begumganj.

Our correspondent reported that a group of people gathered in front of Rajganj Senior Madrasa polling station around 11:00am allegedly to occupy the centre.

Law enforcers went to the spot and started charging truncheons .

Amid the chaos, Soyad Ahmed, 65, he ran into a wall and started bleeding from his head, said locals.

He was taken to Noakhali General Hospital where he died.

In another incident, Shakil, 17, a shopkeeper of a fruit stall, was killed during a clash between the supporters of two member candidates over occupying KB Union High School polling station in Chirtoli union.

Shakil was being treated at a local hospital but doctors referred him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as his condition deteriorated.

He passed away on his way to Dhaka. 

Details of the incident could not be known.

In Comilla, Kamal Uddin, an independent chairman candidate and also the outgoing chairman of Bolorampur union parishad and vice-president of Titas upazila BNP unit, was stabbed to death allegedly by his rivals .

ASM Abdun Nur, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Titas Police Station, said a clash erupted between the supporters of Kamal and BNP-nominated chairman candidate Tofail Ahmed Tapan Bhuiyan around 3:00pm in Bolorampur.

Kamal was stabbed during the clash, he said.

In Panchagarh, Nasiruddin, 50, was killed in a clash between supporters of two member candidates at Harinabari union of Panchagarh sadar last night.

A clash erupted around 9:00pm when presiding officer of Joardarpara Government Primary School polling centre declared Tarikul Islam unofficially elected.

After the announcement, supporters of a defeated member candidate attacked Tarikul's men leaving at least four people injured, including Nasiruddin, a supporter of Tarikul.

Nasiruddin was taken to a local hospital where he died.

In Narayanganj, an elderly man died when supporters of a defeated member candidate chased the fans of a winning candidate in Naogaon union of Sonargaon in Narayanganj last night, reports our correspondent there.

Winning member candidate Nurul Islam said Idris Ali got trampled during the attack by his rival's men.

However, Manjur Kader, officer-in-charge of Sonargaon Police Station, said Idris died of cardiac arrest.

In Sirajganj, a mobile court sentenced presiding officer Forhad Hossain of Shuvogacha Govt Primary School polling centre in Kazipur to six months' imprisonment for allowing people to cast fake votes in favour of an AL nominated candidate.

The magistrate also fined four AL men for their involvement in irregularities.

In Munshiganj, Haji Md Ripon Patwari, AL chairman candidate for Mollakandi union, boycotted the polls alleging capturing of polling stations by AL rebel chairman candidate Mohsina Haq Kolpona.

In Chittagong, BGB members arrested AL chairman candidate Haji Saber Ahmed at Ichanagar Govt Primary School polling centre in Chorpathorghata in connection with voting irregularities.

In the presence of a mobile court, the BGB members also recovered ballot papers and seals from his possession, sources said.

At least one person was killed and over a dozen were injured in violence over union parishad polls in several districts in last two days.

With this, around 115 people have been killed so far in poll-related violence since the announcement of the election schedule in February, according to media reports and Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik.

In Narsingdi, a youth was killed and 10 people were injured and 10 houses were vandalised during a clash between supporters of a defeated chairman candidate and newly elected chairman of Nilakkya union in Raipura upazila yesterday.

The dead is Liton Miah, 28, of Amirabad village in the same union.

The clash broke when supporters of Chairman Tajul Islam attacked the supporters of Abdul Haque Sarker at Atoshali Bazar area around noon.

A supporter of Sarker, Liton died on the spot when a crude bomb went off, said witnesses.

Azaharul lslam, officer-in-charge of Raipura Police Station, said additional law enforcers were deployed there to avoid further clashes.

Election to the UP was held on May 7.

In Bogra, at least four BNP men were injured in an attack allegedly by some Awami League men in Gohali Bazar of Gohali union in Shahjahanpur upazila on Tuesday afternoon.

The attack took place when some BNP men were electioneering for the party chairman candidate.

In Manikganj, some Hindus formed human chain in front of the district press club yesterday demanding punishment of attackers of Ananda Saha, a defeated independent chairman aspirant at Bhararia union under Manikganj Sadar upazila.

They alleged that supporters of AL candidate Anwar Hossain Angur launched an attack on Ananda, his brother Chandan Saha and some of his supporters around 11:45pm on Monday when they were taking tea at Amar Kanon tea stall at Bhararia Bazar.

Armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks and sharp weapons, the attackers beat them up and looted gold jewellery worth about Tk 3.45 lakh and mobile handsets worth around Tk 60,000 from them, alleged the protesters.

The May 28 polls to the UP saw independent candidate Abdul Kader unofficially elected chairman.

[Our correspondents in Narsingdi, Bogra and Manikganj contributed to this report.]

Even the last day of electioneering was marred by attacks on four aspirants from the BNP and the Jatiya Party yesterday, leaving at least 15 people injured.

With the electioneering for the 11th parliamentary polls scheduled to end at 8:00am today, Awami League candidates were seen vigorously campaigning in different places across the country.

However, their archrival, the BNP candidates, and even candidates of Jatiya Party, AL's election ally, were hardly seen, in a scenario prevalent throughout the 17-day campaigning, when ruling party men electioneered whilst others allegedly faced attacks or police harassment.

Besides, at least 40 BNP-Jamaat men were arrested on different charges in different districts yesterday.

In Pabna, at least three supporters of Jatiya Oikyafront candidate for Pabna-1 Prof Abu Sayeed were injured when alleged AL men attacked his motorcade in Selonda Bazar area of Santhia upazila. However, Sayeed remained unhurt.

“We were out campaigning and when our motorcade reached Selonda Bazar area where a group of criminals attacked our team. They opened fire and vandalised [the vehicles],” Sayeed said, while talking to The Daily Star.

Asked, Tapon Haider Sun, Santhia upazila unit AL general secretary, said, “We are busy with our campaign. I don't know any news of such attacks.”

Contacted, Md Jahangir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Santhia Police Station, said, “There was a police protection team but the attackers came suddenly and attacked. Police charged batons to disperse the attackers and brought the situation under control quickly.”

Sayeed had come under criminal attacks repeatedly around 17 to 18 times since campaigning began on December 10.

Elsewhere in Chattogram, at least three persons were injured when miscreants attacked the motorcade of JP aspirant for Chattogram-16 Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury in Green Park area of Banshkhali upazila yesterday morning. However, the candidate was unhurt.

“I was campaigning in the area and when my motorcade reached Green Park area, miscreants threw stones targeting our motorcade and attacked us with sharp weapons,” Mahmudul, also a former mayor of the Chattogram City Corporation, told The Daily Star.

He, however, could not identify the attackers. But he alleged that police were present on the spot and played a silent role.

Contacted, Kamal Hossain, OC of Banshkhali Police Station said, “It was not a big incident. While they [the candidate and his supporters] were returning after electioneering some miscreants threw stones at their vehicles.”

This was the second attack on Mahmudul in a span of a week. On December 21, at least 24 of his activists sustained bullets injuries when alleged ruling party men attacked his rally in Banshkhali upazila's Chambal Bazar area.

In Cumilla, nine BNP men were injured when alleged AL men attacked the campaign of BNP candidate for Cumilla-5 constituency Md Yunus in Nimshar Mokam area under Burichang upazila around 2:00pm yesterday.

Md Masud, president of Nimshar Mokam union unit Jubo league, denied the allegation and said BNP men attacked AL men who were holding a meeting in the area.

Akul Chandra Biswas, OC of Burichang Police Station, said, “Hearing news of the violence, police rushed to the spot and safely rescued the BNP candidate from the spot and took him to his residence. If the candidate files any compliant, then we will take action.”  

In Mymensingh, miscreants allegedly attacked the campaign of BNP's candidate for Mymensingh-3 M Iqbal Hossain and vandalised his car in Tangadipara village under Bokainagar union of Gouripur upazila yesterday afternoon.

Talking to journalists, Iqbal alleged that he had been campaigning at different spots since morning but when he came to Tangadipara at afternoon, miscreants attacked him with local weapons and vandalised his car to create panic among the BNP men and common people.

After the incident, Iqbal filed complaint with the local returning officer.

Iqbal also alleged that he, along with his supporters, faced obstructions in electioneering since the beginning of electioneering. He also claimed that police filed case against those who were involved BNP politics and even arrested some of them.

Contacted, OC of Gouripur Police Station Abdullah Al Mamun, said none filed any compliant regarding the incident. But he later heard that that villagers had clashed with Iqbal as he had gone there to distribute money.

Meanwhile in Kishoreganj, a local BNP leader died after suffering a cardiac arrest which was apparently triggered by police firing blanks at the residence of BNP's candidate for Kishoreganj-5 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Sararchar union under Bajitpur upazila yesterday evening.

The deceased was identified as Shaheed Miah, vice president of Sararchar union unit BNP.

BNP men alleged that Mujibur had held a press conference at noon at his residence where he expressed concerns over his life's security ahead of the polls. Later in the evening, police raided his residence where they fired blanks and beat up BNP men.

At that time, Shaheed Miah was in his nearby office.

Hearing the sound of gun fire and seeing police action on BNP men, Shaheed panicked and went into a cardiac arrest. Then, Shaheed was taken to the local hospital where on-duty doctors declared him dead, said Mazaharul Islam, nephew of Shaheed.

Contacted, Shafiqul Islam, inspector (investigation) of Bajitpur police station, said a clash had erupted between the supporters of AL and BNP and police opened fire to disperse them.

Asked about the death, Shafiqul said he knew nothing about the death.

In Cox's Bazar, at least seven people were injured when police charged baton on the activists of BNP's nominee for Cox's Bazar-3 candidate Lutfor Rahman Kajol in Kurushkul while they were going to attend the last day's election rally yesterday.

Police lobbed two rounds of tear shells and fired several rounds of blanks.

Sources said activists of Kajol were coming from Cox's Bazar city and the adjoining city areas to attend the rally at the tourist city at 3:00 pm.

But police charged baton on them at several places, including Kurushkul connecting road, Kolatoli, Kalur Dokan area and Bus terminal area.

Officer-in-charge of Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station Farid Uddin Khandokar said they were carrying sticks during the procession.

They tried to disperse them when they refused to leave, he said.

In a different sort of incident in Manikganj, BNP candidate for Manikganj-1 Khondaker Abdul Hamid Dablu, whose nomination was declared valid by the High Court on December 24, has been virtually confined to his residence at Pachuria village under Ghiorupazila for the last two days.

Police were maintaining a round the clock presence in front of Dablu's residence and were arresting any BNP activist who came out of his home.

Talking to The Daily Star, Bablu said none of their supporters now come to meet Dablu in fear of arrests. Besides, AL men on motorcycles ride around the residence in intervals to spread panic.

Currently, Dablu has not been able to get out of his house and conduct electioneering, alleged Bablu.

Rifat Rahman Shamim, police superintendent in the district, rejected the allegation and said police had not gone to Dablu's residence.

Meanwhile in Narayanganj, police arrested five of a family, including the parents of a supporter of independent candidate for Narayanganj-3 Abdullah Al Kaiser, from Senpara area under Kanchpur upazila in the early hours of yesterday.

Police claimed that they had recovered drugs and locally-made weapons from the arrestees. The victims' relatives rejected the allegations.

Meanwhile, an Awami League supporter has been beaten to death allegedly by BNP supporters at Nolkot village of Sylhet Sadar upazila under Sylhet-1 constituency yesterday night at around 10:00pm.

The deceased, Koysor Miah, 35, son of Mahmud Ali of the village, is a Kuwait expatriate and had recently returned to Bangladesh.

Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, president of Sylhet city AL and the convenor of AL candidate for Sylhet-1's electoral management committee, said, “He, along with some other supporter, went out of his house with the AL candidate's leaflet to distribute in the village and locked into an altercation with some BNP supporters.”

BNP supporters then apparently beat him to death.

Denying the allegation, Ali Ahmed, general secretary of Sylhet district BNP, said that the incident might have been related to an intra-party feud of AL.

SM Shahadat Hossain, officer-in-charge of Jalalabad Police Station, confirmed the incident without naming any accused and said police were looking into the matter.

Besides, police arrested eight BNP-Jamaat men in Mymensingh, two in Chattogram, two in Chapainawabganj and 28 in Sylhet yesterday on different criminal charges.

Since electioneering began on December 10, motorcades, campaign rallies and offices and even houses of at least 56 contestants, mostly from BNP, have been attacked by alleged supporters of AL at different places across the country.

Around 790 BNP-Jamaat men were arrested during the time while 1,175 people, including candidates, were injured from many parties, including the left ones.

The attacks did not even spare the candidates of Jatiya Party and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, both electoral allies of the AL.

There was even no respite from violence even after deployment of army on December 24.

'SITUATION UNDER CONTROL'

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury yesterday claimed that the situation was under control. “I admit that a bit of tension is prevailing centring the election. I want to term it 'political heat',” he told reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

He also said that armed forces would act only when police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh failed to control any untoward incident during the election.

"There are police, Rab and BGB to maintain law and order. The armed forces will intervene where police, Rab and BGB fail. The armed forces are our last resort," he added.