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Sixth parliamentary polls amid Opposition boycott

12 deaths: Low turnout: Rigging

Star Report
A noticeably low turnout, ransacking of polling booths, ballot box stuffing and sporadic violence that left at least 12 people dead marked the sixth parliamentary elections in the country's 25-year history.
Boycotted by all the nwyor opposition parties who called for a 'people's curfew' on the polling day yesterday, the candidates of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were pitted unevenly against candidates of some 41 most obscure parties, in an election which observers feel would now raise questions of both credibility and acceptability of the next government
The poor turnout at the 21,106 polling stations which, according to first hand reports from our correspondents across the country last night, was hovering between 10 and 15 per cent
On the eve of the polling night the Chief Election Commissioner had also feared a poor turnout due to the prevailing situation in which the elections were being conducted. But results received till late last night showed "encouraging participation," EC sources said.
The massive deployment of some 4,00,000 members of the Armed Forces, para-military BDR, police and ansar to keep a
vigil on the polling centres to prevent violence and facility** the voters' safe coming to the polling centres apparently neither succeeded to ensure a "respectable turnout1, nor could put a lid on violence that included ransacking of polling centres.
Polling was cancelled in at least one constituency (Gopalganj Sadar) while it was postponed in 2431 centres in 59 districts till the filing of this report at midnight.
Major opposition parties which had earlier called for boycotting the elections, giving their initial reactions last night, said that the polls results were not representative and that, the next parliament would not be "legitimate."
Observers fear that the election is unlikely to keep the country on the road to stability and wriggle it out of the political uncertainty that had cast a dark shadow over the nation for the last two years.
The capital was unusuaUy calm with shutters down in all shops and establishments even in deep alleys and lanes and the rickshaws which generally swamp the streets on other hartal days almost failed to appear during the entire voting hours — from 8 am till 4 pm.
In violent clashes between Opposition activists and person-
nel of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, two ansars were killed in Rajbari and Faridpur.
Army troops on polls duty at Birganj, 30 km from the northern town of Dinajpur, opened fire on anti-election activists who prevented despatch of election materials to the polling centres yesterday around 10.65 am.
There were reports of polls related killings — three in Chittagong and two each in Jhenidah and Rajbari and one each in Sylhet, Barisal Dinaipur, Chuadanga and Faridpur.
A police official was stabbed at Harinakundu in Jhenidah.
Over one thousand people were reported injured in sporadic incidents of gunfights, bomb blasts and cracker explosions.
Sohag, son of a police official, was killed near Rampura Primary School while an unidentified youth was killed at Feroz Shah Colony in Chittagong in bomb explosions.
Thirty complaints of rigging and ballot box stuffing were filed with the Election Commission against DCs, OCs of thanas, presiding officers and BNP candidates.
In several polling centres in different parts of the country, presiding or assistant presiding officers did not turn up, reports said.12 deaths From Page-1 country should now rest with the President.
The administrative machinery. law enforcing agencies and other lawful authorities including the Armed Forces should take orders directly from the President.
UNOs. TNOs. DCs, dlvi sional commissioners. SPs. police commissioners and other lawful agencies of thanas, districts and divisions should take orders directly from the secretaries concerned.
Three service chiefs Cabinet Secretary and all other secretaries will function under directives from the Pres-klcirt.
■ In the absence of the BNP government, the peace-loving people of the country and all political parties shall extend wholehearted support and cooperations to the President and his administration so that there no crisis crops up in the countiy.
Meanwhile, the AL will hold a rally today at 3 pm in front of the Jatiya Press Club.