WHAT CLASH?:

Strong Turnout For Peaceful Bangladesh Election: Counting begins on Monday evening. Significant indications of trends are not expected before the early hours of Tuesday. (Javno, 12/29/08)

Bangladeshis voted on Monday in an election that returns the country to democracy after two years of emergency rule and tests whether it has moved beyond a history of street violence between supporters of rival parties.

Polls officially closed at 4 p.m. (1000 GMT), although officials said those still in line would be allowed to vote, and the balloting was generally peaceful. There was a festive air in the sprawling capital Dhaka. Most motor traffic had been banned for a public holiday called for the vote.

Neighbours worry an increasingly violent Islamist militant minority in the South Asia nation of more than 140 million people could provide support and shelter for radical activists in their own countries.

However, both leading candidates have pledged strong action to crack down on violent extremists, as well as made populist promises to contain prices and promote growth in a country where 45 percent of the people are below the poverty line.