DHAKA: At least four persons were killed in post-election violence in Bangladesh on Monday, while ruling Awami League denied any talks with the opposition following its victory in the general elections.
In a statement, a ruling Awami League member Hasan Mahmud said that we are not thinking about talks right now with the opposition and said that his party’s top priority now is to form a government and contain violence.
Mahmud said that we have to eliminate violence and militancy to give the people a breather.
The parliamentary elections were conducted across Bangladesh on Sunday to elect 147 members of the parliament amid opposition boycott, heavy security and violent incidents as 18 persons were killed in separate incidents while hundreds of polling stations came under attack from opposition supporters.
The initial results of 126 contested seats showed that the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina grabbed 98 seats, while Jatiya party won 11 seats and 17 others candidates also remained successful.
A final result is expected to be announced later on Monday.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which along with 20 other opposition parties had boycotted the elections and had urged voters to stay away from polling stations, extended a general strike until Wednesday as it pressed Dhaka to declare the vote null and void.
