2 candidates demand re-election in Chattogram-8
Candidates of the Bangladesh Islami Front and National People's Party have demanded the results of Chattogram-8 by-poll be postponed, alleging that the election was not fair.
Sehab Uddin Muhammad Abdus Samad, the Bangladesh Islami Front candidate and Kamal Pasha of National People's Party, made the demands at a press conference in Boalkhali half an hour before the end of voting on Thursday.
The constituency had fallen vacant after the death of its lawmaker Moslem Uddin Ahmed on 5 February.
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Sehab Uddin, who contested the by-polls with the candle symbol, alleged that local member Abbas Uddin and Awami League leader Salim beaten up a voter named Mawlana Tajul Islam for casting his vote for the candle symbol at Saraswati Bengura KBK High School polling centre.
He said Islami Front Union General Secretary Suman Farooqui was hacked for voting for him at the Charandeep Abbasia Government Primary School Center and two other voters named Md Tarek and Harunur Rashid were also fatally injured during the attack.
Sehab Uddin also claimed that 2%-3% of the voters in the urban part of this constituency and 5%-7% in the Boalkhali area did not go to the polling station.
"So this election can never be an acceptable election," he added.
He criticised the returning officer concerned for not taking action even after being told about the assaults, saying his failure spoiled the election.
Meanwhile, National People's Party candidate Kamal Pasha said the election was not free, fair, impartial and acceptable.
He alleged that Chhatra League and Juba League leaders occupied the centre since the night before the election day.
