Dhaka: Awami League chairman candidates won elections in 443 union councils while its arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party contenders bagged only 60 chairman posts.

According to reports reaching the NTV Online news desk, the second phase results in 623 UCs were published. A total of 443 AL candidates, 60 BNP candidates, 4 Jatiya Party, 02 Jasod and 114 independent candidates were elected.

Earlier on Thursday, voting in 640 Union Councils (UCs) under 82 upazilas in 47 districts was held amid various irregularities and sporadic violence that left seven dead and around 64 people injured.   

The balloting in the second phase of the UC election began at 8:00am and continued till 4:00pm without any break.

The voting was marked with violence and anomalies in Chittagong, Jamalpur, Dhaka, Jessore and Madaripur districts.

According to the statistics provided by the Election Commission on Wednesday, a total of 2,662 chairman contenders, including some 1493 from 17 political parties and 1,169 independent candidates are in the election races in the UCs.

Candidates from two major political parties— ruling Awami League and its archrival BNP - are frontrunners in the election. But BNP has no chairman candidate in 79 UCs, while AL has got candidates in all the 640 UCs.

—Polls Violence Leaves 8 Dead—

Eight people were killed and at least 64 others injured in clashes in different parts of the country during the second phase UCs election on Thursday.

The deceased were Sanaullah, Ibrahim and Jamal of Sandwip upazila in Chittagong, Rafiqul Islam, 50, of Shyampur union of Melandah upazila in Jamalpur, Shuva, 10, son of Halim of Dhalikandi village in Keraniganj upazila of Dhaka, Golap Hossain of Chanchra union in Sadar upazila, Jessore, Sumon Mrida, son of Bachchu Mridha of Birangal village in Madaripur Sadar upazila, and Nunesa Begum, 38, wife of Iman Ali in Doulatdia upazila in Manikganj.

—Balloting in 33 Polling Stations Postponed—

Balloting in 33 polling stations was postponed on Thursday due to various irregularities in the second phase.

According to a list of the postponed polling stations provided by the Election Commission, eight of the 33 are in Companiganj of Naokhali, seven in Jessore sadar upazila and six in Chandpur sadar. Besides, three polling stations are in Madaripur sadar, two each in Barua of Comilla, Melanda of Jamalpur and Haimchar of Chandpur, one each in Sirajganj sadar and Kabirhat of Noakhali and Bajitpur of Kishoreganj.

Among the causes behind the postponing the balloting, snatching ballot papers and ballot boxes, stuffing ballots illegally, stuffing 100 percent ballots and stuffing ballots before stipulated time. The balloting in most of the stations was postponed due to snatching ballot papers.

—11 Chairman Candidates Boycotted—

Meanwhile, 11 chairman candidates boycotted the election in eight union parishads in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong, Gazipur union of Chandpur, Chowara and Boropara unions under Comilla South upazila, Urfa union parishad in Nakla upazila under Sherpur and Jadabpur union under Jhenidah district on charges of various irregularities. Eight of them belong to BNP, two to AL (rebel), while one is an independent candidate.

—31 Candidates Elected Unopposed—

As many as 31 chairman candidates, all from ruling Awami League, have already been elected unopposed as there was no rival against their respective posts in the 2nd phase of the UC polls.   

Of the 31 chairman posts that won uncontested, 14 are in Gopalganj, six in Joypurhat, three in Jessore, two in each Dhaka and Madaripur, one each in Kishoreganj and Munshiganj, Sherpur and Sirajganj.   

—First Phase UC Elections—

Voting in 712 UCs in 37 districts was held on 22 March 2016. Among 698 published results, Awami League chairman candidates won elections in 541 UCs while its arch rival BNP contenders in only 47 UCs, Jatiya Party 04, 03 Jasod, 98 independent and 05 others were elected.

Due to violence and irregularities, voting at least 56 polling stations out of some 6,500 were postponed across the country in the first phase of the UC elections.