Fear of violence looms over a contentious Bangladesh election as polls open

DHAKA (AP) — Polls have opened in Bangladesh as voters began casting their ballots in an election fraught with violence and a boycott from the main opposition party. At least 18 arson attacks have been reported across the country since Friday, with 10 of them targeting polling places. Campaigning in the South Asian nation of 169 million has also been marred with violence, with over a dozen people killed in recent months. Meanwhile, because the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and other allied groups shunning the race, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League are widely expected to secure a fourth consecutive term.