Awami League activist killed in Bogra election violence

An Awami League activist has been killed in election violence in Bogra. 

The deceased, Azizul Islam, 30, was attacked and killed in Kahaloo upazila under Bogra 4 constituency (Kahaloo-Nandigram). 

Kahaloo police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shawkat Kabir, and Paikar Union Chairman Mithu Chowdhury, told the Dhaka Tribune that BNP activists were responsible for the attack, which left Azizul dead and a UP member, named Nazmul Huda Duel, injured.

They added that the victim was trying to defend a polling centre from being occupied and he died at a hospital after being fatally injured by the culprits.

The BNP candidate for the constituency, Mosharraf Hossain, firmly denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, there are allegations that BNP supporters launched an attack on supporters of Jatiya Party, near the Buriganj High School polling centre in Shibganj upazila, under Bogra 2 constituency.

The attack left five people injured, including Buriganj Union Jatiya Party President and freedom fighter Afzal Hossain.

Furthermore, supporters of BNP-backed independent candidate Rezaul Karim Bablu, and another independent candidate Ferdous Ara Khan, clashed in Ranirpara Govt Primary School of Gabtoli upazila, in Bogra 7 constituency.

Ansar personnel brought the situation under control after firing a few rounds of rubber bullets. Voting was suspended for half an hour, but later it resumed when an executive magistrate intervened.

Jamaat-Shibir activists attacked the on-duty police at Fultola Ahmadia Fazil Madrasa polling centre in Shajahanpur Upazila under the same constituency. Police fired four bullets to avert any untoward incident.

In Bogra 4 constituency, supporters of Awami League and BNP engaged in a chase and counter-chase near Ranbagha area under Nandigram upazila. At least three people were injured in the incident.

In Bogra 5 constituency, BNP candidate Golam Mohammad Siraj complained that his supporters could not vote at 165 of the total 179 polling centres in Sherpur upazila. 

In Bogra 2 constituency, Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna alleged that a lot of irregularities took place in his election area.