BD polls campaign ends in anger

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s deadly election campaign entered a final full day on Thursday with followers of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina parading in the streets while her opponents insisted the vote would not be free and fair.

Both sides launched new salvoes in their war of words ahead of Sunday’s polling. Hasina accused the opposition of organising bomb attacks while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party said "the state" was aiding an assault on the opposition.

Thousands of flag-waving supporters of the ruling Awami League marched in Dhaka and other cities bringing the traffic-choked streets to a standstill ahead of the official close of campaigning early on Friday.

The BNP, whose leader is in jail, said it had been prevented from holding its closing rally in Dhaka. Thousands of its supporters were allowed to march through the northern city of Sylhet however.