Bangladesh election: Voting begins in violence-marred poll

Polls have opened in Bangladesh's controversial election, with fewer than half the parliamentary seats being contested. The opposition, which is boycotting the vote, has begun a two-day general strike against what it called a "scandalous farce". Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has dismissed their demands for her to step down and a neutral government to oversee the poll, as in previous years. The BBC's Mahfuz Sadique in Dhaka reports some senior government ministers have said they will hold talks with the opposition after Sunday's election, ahead of fresh elections "as soon as possible".