After visiting several polling centres in Dhaka, a team of foreign and local election observers find voting are taking place smoothly and peacefully.

Awami League believes in democracy and has faith in the people, the party's president Sheikh Hasina said yesterday morning, after casting her vote. “We will accept whatever decision the people will make.”

HT Imam, co-chairman of the Awami League polls steering committee, yesterday said this election has proved that a free, fair and neutral one is possible under a partisan government.

In the face of allegations that agents of BNP were hardly visible in polling centres across the country, the chief election commissioner (CEC) has claimed that they were not seen because they did not show up in the first place.

It was 2:42pm when these correspondents entered a voting booth at Lalbagh Government Primary School in Natore sadar. A voter named Mobarak Hossain, 35, told the polling official his serial number -- 169 -- and his name.

Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday demanded the Election Commission immediately scrap the “farcical election” and hold a fresh one under a nonpartisan interim government.

International media widely covered yesterday's national election that saw deadly clashes and accusations of vote rigging.

Snapshots of Polls Day

The Election Commission touted the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) as a foolproof alternative to the traditional method of ballot paper, but that too fell prey to sweeping abuse yesterday.

Of Queues and Chaos

At least three journalists, including a photojournalist of this paper, were assaulted during parliamentary polls in Dhaka and Chattogram yesterday, while a number of journalists covering polls for this paper faced obstructions from activists of political parties and law enforcers in the capital.

What they said

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has led her party to a third consecutive win in parliamentary polls, securing two-thirds majority in yesterday's election held in an atmosphere dominated by the ruling party men.

Many across the country exercised their voting rights for the first time yesterday, at the 11th national election.

It was something hardly seen ever in any election in the country -- finding trace of the key opposition party was a real challenge, except for in its electoral symbol on ballot papers.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed satisfaction with the overall atmosphere of yesterday's polls.

The foreign ministry has described the joint statement of ANFREL-affiliated organisations, issued on Saturday, as "premature" and criticised it for comments based on "misinformation and premeditated assumptions".

Election violence claimed at least 18 lives yesterday, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. More than 200 others were injured in clashes between rival Awami League and BNP supporters in 24 districts.

Ashraful Hossen Alam (Hero Alam), who contested yesterday as an independent candidate from Bogura-4 (Kahalu and Nandigram upazilas), was beaten allegedly by AL men while he was visiting a polling center in Chakolma Govt Primary School in Nandigram upazila.

Awami League is going to form the government for the third consecutive terms as the party has already gained more than 151 seats out of total 300 unofficially in the 11th national elections.