Elections to 835 union parishads of the lowest tier of local governments will take place today, amid fears of violence.

The union parishad (UP) polls in Chattogram’s Raozan upazila is going to create a history in the electoral culture of the country as all the chairmen and members of 14 unions are going to be elected uncontested.

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujon) yesterday placed the final draft of the proposed law on “Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner’s Appointment Act 2021.”

The fourth phase of Union Parishad elections will be held on December 23, the Election Commission announced today.

The ongoing union parishad polls show just how desperate the grassroots Awami League leaders are to go to power or cling to it at the lowest tier of the local government.

Frustrated over not getting financial assistance from local union parishad during the countrywide shutdown, a fuchka vendor in Narayanganj is contesting the union parishad (UP) polls as a member candidate to serve the helpless like himself.

Two siblings were hacked to death and 30 other people injured in attacks and clashes between supporters of rival union parishad chairman and member candidates in Meherpur and Pabna in the last two days over Thursday’s polls.

At least 19 indigenous women are contesting the union parishad elections, set to be held in Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi on November 11 this year.

Violence has continued ahead of the second phase of the union parishad polls claiming two more lives and leaving at least 20 others injured in five districts since Saturday night. 

Election Commissioner Md Rafiqul Islam yesterday sought cooperation from all the candidates to hold union parishad polls in Narayanganj in a peaceful manner.

Four people, including a woman, were killed and 50 others injured in a clash between two groups of Awami League supporters in Narsingdi yesterday, ahead of the second phase of the union parishad polls on November 11.

Loan defaulters cannot have legal rights to contest elections, a High Court bench observed yesterday.

At least three people were killed and several were injured in a clash over rivalry centring the upcoming election in Alokbali union parishad in Narsingdi Sadar upazila this morning.

Awami League-backed candidate Merina Jahan has been elected as the lawmaker of Sirajganj-6 by-election by a margin.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda today said the Election Commission was embarrassed by the violence taking place during the ongoing union parishad elections.

Voting ended in elections to two union parishads -- Rajnagar and Khaolia -- of Bagerhat at 4pm today.

Voting has started in the by-election of Sirajganj-6 (Shahjadpur) constituency this morning. People are casting votes using electronic voting machine (EVM).

The incidents of pre-polls violence were reported in different parts of the country, including Bogura, Patuakhali, and Pirojpur, in the last two days.

A local Awami League leader in Natore said those who will not vote for the AL in the union parishad election would not be allowed to go to the polling centre.

The election campaign for tomorrow’s Ghoraghat municipality ended by yesterday midnight as preparations for holding the poll in a peaceful atmosphere almost completed.