DHAKA: A proposed new Egyptian constitution has been backed by 98.1% of people who voted in a referendum, officials say.

Turnout was 38.6% of the 53 million eligible voters, the election committee said.

The draft constitution replaces one introduced by Islamist president Mohammed Mursi before he was ousted.

The banned Muslim Brotherhood, which Mursi comes from and which boycotted the referendum, dismissed it as a ‘farce’.

The referendum was seen as a vote on the legitimacy of his removal and of the army, which toppled him in July last year.

Several people died in violence involving Mursi’s supporters on the first day of voting.

There were further clashes with the security forces on Friday in which four people died, Egypt health ministry said, reports the BBC.

BDST: 1832 HRS, JAN 19, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor