Dhaka: Candidates took time for families and friends on Sunday following the end of official campaigning in an election to return Bangladesh to democracy after two years of emergency rule under a military-backed government.
Security has been tightened across the country, with army troops patrolling streets and police dispersing to polling centres, after a brick-throwing attack on a motorcade and clashes injuring nearly 100 marred final campaigning on Saturday.
The incidents could reinforce fears violence may distract the new government that emerges from Monday's parliamentary vote and will need to deal with such challenges as endemic corruption and widespread poverty in the South Asian nation. Former military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad, part of an election alliance led by ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, escaped unhurt when supporters of a rival candidate hurled pieces of bricks at his motorcade, but 20 other people were injured. Six vehicles were damaged in the attack in Ershad's home district Rangpur, 330 km north of Dhaka, police said.
Local media said nearly 100 others were injured in clashes between supporters of rival candidates elsewhere in the country of more than 140 million, some 45 percent of whom live in poverty. "We have further tightened security ahead of the election," a Rangpur police officer said on Sunday. Earlier, police said they had found some 40 bombs around the country and detained more than a dozen Islamist militant suspects linked to possible violence plots. Ershad, speaking later on Saturday at campaign rallies in nearby Dinajpur district, made no reference to the motorcade attack.
"Just give us the vote, we will give you food and happiness," he told supporters at a rally. Violence played down Officials played down the violence. "Small incidents are quite likely ahead of an election but these will not leave any impact on the voting tomorrow," said Hasan Mahmud Khandoker, chief of the security forces' elite Rapid Action Battalion. Election Commissioner Sakhawat Hossain, a retired brigadier-general, told Reuters on Sunday:
"Our preparations for holding a free and fair election have been completed. We just hope for a good election on Monday."
Hasina and and chief rival Begum Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the leading contenders and nicknamed the "battling Begums", wrapped up their public campaigning Saturday with mass rallies in Dhaka and Chittagong respectively.
Those were followed by pre-recorded national TV broadcasts in which they pledged to learn from past mistakes, repeating the main points in their campaign platforms.
Around 2,000 foreign observers and 200,000 local monitors will watch the voting. The government has deployed about 50,000 army troops and thousands of other security personnel to ensure the poll is credible.
The Indian Ocean coastal country -- frequently buffeted by cyclones and floods -- has been ruled by the interim government since January 2007, when it took over following widespread political violence and cancelled an election due that month.
Bangladeshis hope Monday's parliamentary election will bring a stable government which attracts investment and aid. Their hopes could be scuppered if violence flares.
Hasina, whom analysts say has the edge in these elections accuses Khaleda of corruption and vote tampering while Khaleda says the interim government is conspiring to help Hasina.
The rivals alternated in power for 15 years till 2006. In a country that has often seen losers and their supporters reject election results, the various charges could set the stage for post-election protests and violence.
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