Bangladesh’s deadly election campaign ends in anger

Bangladesh’s deadly election campaign entered a final full day yesterday with followers of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina parading in the streets while her opponents insisted the vote would not be free and fair. Both sides launched new salvoes in their war of words ahead of Sunday’s polling.

Hasina accused the opposition of organising bomb attacks while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party said “the state” was aiding an assault on the opposition. Thousands of flag-waving supporters of the ruling Awami League marched in Dhaka and other cities bringing the traffic-choked streets to a standstill ahead of the official close of campaigning early Friday. The BNP, whose leader is in jail, said it had been prevented from holding its closing rally in Dhaka.

Thousands of its supporters were allowed to march through the northern city of Sylhet however. At least six people -- four from the BNP and two from the Awami League -- have been killed since the campaign started on November 8. The BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami say more than 11,500 of their followers have been arrested and thousand of activists, including candidates, injured in attacks by ruling party.

Amid international concern over events, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed for calm. Guterres “calls on all stakeholders to ensure an environment free of violence, intimidation and coercion before, during and after the elections, so as to enable a peaceful, credible and inclusive poll,” said a spokesman.