Police in Bangladesh have fired shots to disperse opposition protesters during Sunday’s parliamentary election.
The election campaign has been marred by violence, and the election is being boycotted by the largest opposition party.
Up to 60 opposition supporters had set up a roadblock in the port city of Chittagong – protesting the circumstances surrounding the election – when police fired to disperse the crowd. No one is reported to have been injured in the shooting and the situation is under control, according to the police.
The election campaign has been marred by violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Zia is currently under house arrest.
Late on Friday, a train was attacked in the capital Dhaka, among other things. Wagons were set on fire and four people died in the blaze. Several people have been arrested for the crime, according to authorities the suspected perpetrators belong to the BNP party.
At least 18 arson attacks have been reported in the country since Friday, and ten of them have targeted polling stations, according to authorities.
The events have added to the tensions ahead of election day.
Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled the country of 169 million people since 2009. She is now expected to be elected for a fourth consecutive term.