Several Killed in Political Violence in Bangladesh Elections
GHRTV Reporter
19/11/2021
Lucas Mitidieri
Bangladesh and Human Rights Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
On November 11, 2021, rural council elections took place amidst violence in Bangladesh with at least seven deaths. Almost 15 million eligible voters. The feeling of fear already permeated the elections weeks before, leading to a boycott from the largest opposition party. According to the political opponents “a skewed political atmosphere is preventing fair participation.” (Al Jazeera, 2021).
Guns and spears were used to stop supporters of rivals from being able to vote in Narsingdi district of central Bangladesh. There has been a shootout between two chairman candidates, one from Awami League (AL), the ruling party and another AL’s rival party (Dhaka Tribune, 2021). Three people were killed and at least 20 others were injured, according to Satyajit Kumar Ghosh, a senior police officer. The same thing happened in southern Cox’s Bazar district, where another man died and six got injured, in the eastern district of Cumilla, where 2 were killed and one more death in the southeastern district of Chattogram. (Al Jazeera, 2021)
Several complaints had already been made since the last two elections. According to Ain-o-Salish Kendra, a Dhaka-based rights group, approximately Eighty-five people have been killed and more than 6,000 injured in electoral violence in Bangladesh since January, 2021. (Al Jazeera, 2021)
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