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Bangladesh elections: Deadly clashes mar vote | Bangladesh elections: Deadly clashes mar vote |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Polls have closed in a general election in Bangladesh that saw deadly clashes and accusations of vote rigging. | |
At least 15 people have been reported killed from several districts. | |
The Bangladesh Election Commission told Reuters it had heard vote-rigging allegations from "across the country" and would investigate. | |
The election is likely to deliver a third straight term for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Her main rival is serving a jail term for corruption. | |
The build-up to the poll was marred by violence and accusations of a crackdown against the opposition. Some 600,000 security personnel were deployed to prevent clashes. | |
The authorities ordered high-speed internet be shut down until after the vote to prevent the spread of "rumours" that might spark unrest. | |
How did voting go? | |
Minutes before polls opened, a BBC correspondent saw filled ballot boxes at a polling centre in the port city of Chittagong. The presiding officer declined to comment. | Minutes before polls opened, a BBC correspondent saw filled ballot boxes at a polling centre in the port city of Chittagong. The presiding officer declined to comment. |
Only ruling party polling agents were present at that and several other polling centres in the second largest city of the country. | Only ruling party polling agents were present at that and several other polling centres in the second largest city of the country. |
At least 28 candidates from the main opposition alliance withdrew before polling closed, alleging vote rigging and intimidation. | |
More than 100 million people were eligible to vote but reports suggest turnout has been low. | |
The governing Awami League (AL) said that, despite sporadic incidents, voting was held in a festive atmosphere. | |
Why is this election important? | Why is this election important? |
Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority nation of more than 160 million people and faces issues ranging from possibly devastating climate change, Islamist militancy, endemic poverty and corruption. | Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority nation of more than 160 million people and faces issues ranging from possibly devastating climate change, Islamist militancy, endemic poverty and corruption. |
The country has recently been in the international spotlight as hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled there from neighbouring Myanmar. | The country has recently been in the international spotlight as hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled there from neighbouring Myanmar. |
The lead-up to the election saw violence between rival supporters and a crackdown on dissent by a government that critics say has only grown more authoritarian during its 10 years in power. | The lead-up to the election saw violence between rival supporters and a crackdown on dissent by a government that critics say has only grown more authoritarian during its 10 years in power. |
Activists, observers and the opposition party warned that the vote would not be fair. The governing party has accused the opposition of peddling false claims. | Activists, observers and the opposition party warned that the vote would not be fair. The governing party has accused the opposition of peddling false claims. |
Ms Hasina told the BBC on Friday: "On the one hand, they are placing allegations, on the other hand, they are attacking our party workers, leaders. That is the tragedy in this country." | |
Who are the contenders? | Who are the contenders? |
Sheikh Hasina's Awami League has run Bangladesh since 2009. | |
Her long-term rival, Khaleda Zia, was sent to prison on corruption charges earlier this year and barred from competing in the vote, in a case which she claimed was politically motivated. | Her long-term rival, Khaleda Zia, was sent to prison on corruption charges earlier this year and barred from competing in the vote, in a case which she claimed was politically motivated. |
In Ms Zia's absence, Kamal Hossain, who was previously both an AL minister and Hasina ally, leads the main opposition grouping, the Jatiya Oikya Front, which includes Ms Zia's Bangladesh National Party (BNP). | |
However, the 81-year-old lawyer, who drew up the country's constitution, is not standing in the election, raising questions as to who would take power should the opposition win. | However, the 81-year-old lawyer, who drew up the country's constitution, is not standing in the election, raising questions as to who would take power should the opposition win. |
The BNP boycotted the last vote in 2014. making Sunday's poll the first to involve all the major parties in 10 years. | |