Election violence claimed at least 18 lives yesterday, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. More than 200 others were injured in clashes between rival Awami League and BNP supporters in 24 districts.

Ashraful Hossen Alam (Hero Alam), who contested yesterday as an independent candidate from Bogura-4 (Kahalu and Nandigram upazilas), was beaten allegedly by AL men while he was visiting a polling center in Chakolma Govt Primary School in Nandigram upazila.

The first three hours were peaceful, even festive at times as people came in to cast their vote at the polling centres in the Lalmonirhat 3 constituency since early morning.

It was around 3:50pm when Sirajus Salekin went to a polling centre at University Laboratory School and College on Dhaka University campus yesterday to cast his vote.

Hopes of a fair election in the country faded as irregularities -- ballot stuffing, casting of fake votes and driving out opposition polling agents -- began to surface.

An unspecified number of voters had to give up their voting right and go back home in anger and frustration yesterday, as polling officials refused to help them find their voter serial number.

Around noon yesterday, Salma Islam was wiping away tears while her husband and campaign manager Nurul Islam Babul announced they were boycotting the election.

Polling agents of BNP-led alliance candidates were barred from entering the voting centres and BNP supporters were driven out from the area in all 16 constituencies in Chattogram during yesterday's election.

Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Rear Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury yesterday said his force had discharged its duties in a manner so that the people of the coastal areas can cast vote in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere.

Rejecting the 11th parliamentary election, several leftist political parties yesterday demanded a “re-election” under a “non-partisan caretaker government” as early as possible.

Jamshed Ali had to cast his vote for “boat” openly in front of the polling officials and agents, which is a blatant violation of the electoral code of conduct.

The ruling party supporters were seen stuffing ballot boxes from 1:45pm to 2:15pm at Gulshan Model School and College in Dhaka yesterday.

After visiting several polling centres in Dhaka, a team of foreign and local election observers find voting are taking place smoothly and peacefully.

Awami League believes in democracy and has faith in the people, the party's president Sheikh Hasina said yesterday morning, after casting her vote. “We will accept whatever decision the people will make.”

HT Imam, co-chairman of the Awami League polls steering committee, yesterday said this election has proved that a free, fair and neutral one is possible under a partisan government.

In the face of allegations that agents of BNP were hardly visible in polling centres across the country, the chief election commissioner (CEC) has claimed that they were not seen because they did not show up in the first place.

It was 2:42pm when these correspondents entered a voting booth at Lalbagh Government Primary School in Natore sadar. A voter named Mobarak Hossain, 35, told the polling official his serial number -- 169 -- and his name.

Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday demanded the Election Commission immediately scrap the “farcical election” and hold a fresh one under a nonpartisan interim government.

International media widely covered yesterday's national election that saw deadly clashes and accusations of vote rigging.

Awami League is going to form the government for the third consecutive terms as the party has already gained more than 151 seats out of total 300 unofficially in the 11th national elections.