Five people were killed in election-related violence in Bangladesh Sunday as voters went to the polls following a campaign marred by deadly clashes and a crackdown on the opposition by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. Two men were shot by police while three others were killed in separate clashes between activists from the ruling Awami League Party and the main Bangladesh Nationalist Party opposition (BNP). The weeks-long election campaign was marred by violence between supporters of her Awami League and activists from the BNP, led by Zia. Police said they acted “in self-defense” in the southern town of Bashkhali, when they opened fire on opposition supporters who had attempted to storm a polling booth, killing one. The United States has also raised concerns about the credibility of the Muslim-majority country’s election while the United Nations called for greater efforts to make the vote fair.

Source: Egypt Independent December 30, 2018 08:48 UTC