Bangladesh holds 4th phase of local government elections

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Bangladesh held the fourth phase of nationwide local government elections on Sunday.

Starting at 8.00 a.m. local time (0200GMT), the voting will continue until 4.00 p.m. (0800GMT) for 838 local councils in elections that are being held in phases.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has boycotted the elections, accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government of intimidation and malpractices.

According to local media reports, at least 67 people have been killed and several hundred wounded in violence during the first three phases of the local government polls.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency Election Commissioner Begum Kabita Khanam said: “We are prepared to hold the election peacefully and we have deployed additional law enforcers to avert any untoward incident.”

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Badiul Alam Majumdar, an economist and political analyst, blamed the country’s election authorities for failing to ensure a peaceful environment during the previous rounds of polls.

“If authorities had taken actions against the violators from the very beginning, the situation would have been better today,” he added.