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.

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.

Snapshots of Polls Day

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.

Of Queues and Chaos

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.

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".

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 first three hours were peaceful, even festive at times as people came in to cast their vote at the polling centres in the Lalmonirhat 3 constituency since early morning.

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.

It was around 3:50pm when Sirajus Salekin went to a polling centre at University Laboratory School and College on Dhaka University campus yesterday to cast his vote.

Hopes of a fair election in the country faded as irregularities -- ballot stuffing, casting of fake votes and driving out opposition polling agents -- began to surface.

An unspecified number of voters had to give up their voting right and go back home in anger and frustration yesterday, as polling officials refused to help them find their voter serial number.

Around noon yesterday, Salma Islam was wiping away tears while her husband and campaign manager Nurul Islam Babul announced they were boycotting the election.