75 hurt in two days

With union parishad elections getting closer, supporters of rival candidates are being engaged in clashes in several districts.

At least 75 suffered injuries in polls-related violence since Friday in Patuakhali, Barisal, Pirojpur and Pabna districts, report our correspondents.

Elections to 732 UPs are scheduled for March 22 in the first phase and 650 UPs for March 31 in the second phase.

In Patuakhali, at least 40 were injured in clashes at Choto Bighai union parishad (UP) and Alipur UP under Sadar and Dashmina upazilas on Friday.

Supporters of Awami League-nominated chairman aspirant Altaf Howlader for Choto Bighai UP attacked the residence of the ruling party's rebel candidate Lal Gazi contesting the same post. 

The incident prompted both the parties to be locked into a clash, leaving some 30 people injured from both sides.

Ten others sustained injuries when supporters of independent chairman aspirant Sohrab Sardar of Alipur UP clashed with supporters of AL-nominated candidate Faysal.

In Barisal, at least 15 people were injured and seven motorcycles burnt during clashes between supporters of AL-backed and BNP-backed candidates in Sarikal union of Gournadi upazila yesterday.

A local Chhatra League leader Lutfor Rahaman Dip along with AL men went to Kurirchar area to seek vote for the AL-nominated candidate. As they were getting past the residence of BNP-nominated candidate SM Manjur Hossain, some BNP men hurled brickbats at them and burnt the motorcycles.

Awami League men later attacked BNP men in the area.

On information, police and other law-enforcement agencies rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.