Six people, including the AL candidate Mohammad Hossain Basan, were hurt when ruling party men attacked them at Badrunnesa College centre.

Witnesses said the clash erupted when AL men complained of irregularities during the election.

"As four-party alliance men forced out our polling agents from the centre and took many fake voters there, we went to make complaint," Mohammad Hossain Basan told The Daily Star.

"The ruling party men and police, led by Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, attacked us as we made the complaint," Basan said.

Basan and the other injured, Mohammad Aslam, Joynal , Yusuf Mia, Mahmud and Sobhan, were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and released after treatment.

The AL candidate announced at noon a boycott of the election for 'gross irregularities'.

The attackers also vandalised a yellow taxicab parked near the college.

Lalbagh police said they arrested Chandan, Milon and Monjur for vandalising the cab after cab driver Mohammad Ali filed a case.

Talking to reporters, the presiding officer flatly denied forcing out AL polling agents and other irregularities.

The seat fell vacant after the death of commissioner Hazi Golam Morshed.