Three persons were injured after a crude bomb exploded at a polling centre in Bangladesh’s Gopalganj district on Thursday morning during the country’s general elections, officials said.
Despite the blast, polling continued without interruption, according to local authorities. Security forces stepped up vigilance in sensitive areas and intensified patrolling to prevent further incidents.
Gopalganj is considered a stronghold of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League.
Clashes between supporters of rival candidates were also reported from other constituencies. In Dhaka’s Mirpur-10 area, supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami were involved in confrontations, prompting heavy deployment of police. The situation was later brought under control, officials said.
In Munshiganj Sadar, rival groups reportedly engaged in a chase and counter-chase following another crude bomb explosion near a polling centre. Police said they acted swiftly to restore order and ensure polling could continue. Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman is contesting from the seat.
Meanwhile, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has been placed on high alert at the Fulbari Integrated Check Post along the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district as a precautionary measure.
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Voting began in 299 of the country’s 300 parliamentary constituencies at 7.30 am (local time) and is scheduled to continue until 4.30 pm. Polling in one constituency was cancelled following the death of a candidate, officials said.
