Ruling party leads election after vote marred by violence and opposition boycott

Bangladesh's ruling Awami League party was leading on Monday with 232 seats in a national election marred by violence and boycotted by the opposition amid concerns by the international community that the process was deeply flawed. The Election Commission had not provided official results, but preliminary results reaching the commission showed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party bagged 105 seats among 147 constituencies where voting took place on Sunday, when at least 18 people were killed in election-related violence. Hasina's refusal to heed opposition demands to step down and appoint a neutral caretaker to oversee the election led to the boycott, undermining the legitimacy of the vote. On Monday, soldiers in combat gear patrolled streets with light traffic and most businesses remained closed. At least 18 people were killed in election-related violence as police fired at protesters and opposition activists torched more than 100 polling stations on Sunday. Opposition activists have staged attacks, strikes and transportation blockades in unrest that has left at least 293 people dead since last year. The opposition boycott means that elections for another 153 seats went uncontested, with Awami League taking 127 seats. Jatiya Party, a partner of Hasina's current government, took 32 seats while 13 independent candidates won. The results mean Hasina will face no problem to forming the next government as only 151 seats are needed for a majority to form a new government. "The election in my area of residence has already been accomplished through selection, which means an election unopposed," said businessman Tajul Islam Nizam, adding "we as the people of the area have been deprived of the voting rights." "Don't we have the rights to express our own opinion?" Nizam asked. Turnout was about 22 percent, down from 87 percent in the last vote, with officials saying the violence and boycott by the opposition kept voters away. The country has been ruled by either current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, or Khaleda Zia, the opposition leader for nearly 22 years. Both women are from powerful political families. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e8eb635af8ee75229118b091f11db782 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork