1. Home
2. World

Bangladesh election results live updates: Awami League vs Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP)

Kashmir Times. Dated: 12/30/2018 11:17:27 PM

DHAKA, Dec 30(Agencies): At least 14 people have been killed in poll-related violence on Sunday as voting began across Bangladesh amid allegations by the ruling Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of attacks on supporters and candidates. The voting, which began at 8 AM (local time) in the morning with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appearing as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender, has ended. The counting of votes is currently underway amid tight security arrangements.
While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier and BNP chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day where people stood in the queue to cast their vote even before the election opened. Meanwhile, violence marred the polling in parts of the country with media reports putting the death toll at 12. Dozens of people were wounded in the poll-related violence.
The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premiere for the fourth terms. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet.
According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in London.