Poll stage-managed, not acceptable: Khaleda

File PhotoStaff Correspondent

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia early today said Monday's general election was stage-managed and farcical, and so its results are not acceptable to her party.

"By declaring pre-set results, the Election Commission (EC) has shown the polls did not reflect the public opinion," she said.

The former prime minister was reading out a statement at a press conference at her Gulshan office minutes after midnight.

Earlier, she had a four-hour meeting with the party's standing committee members.

Khaleda said there is no instance of such a 'massive ballot rigging' that took place on December 29.

"At first I want to thank the chief election commissioner for stage-managing the parliamentary election and clearing the way for introducing 'new BAKSAL," she said in a sarcastic voice.

Asked if BNP rejects the results, she replied, "You know what unacceptable means.”

She continued, "The election results bear testimony to sound implementation of the blue print that we spoke of time and again.”

Some of the BNP leaders who always won elections in the past have suffered defeat this time, she said.

“Up to 50 percent of the vote was cast by noon, and after that most of the polling centres got empty. Still, around 90 percent votes were shown to have been registered in those centres,” she alleged.

The BNP chief said it is unfortunate that despite her party's sincere efforts towards a smooth transition to democracy, the EC has failed them.

Khaleda however said this was their primary reaction. They will come up with detailed observations about the election results later.

Before the standing committee meeting, the BNP chairperson came out on the balcony of her first-floor office at around 6:45pm and waved at a few hundred supporters on the road in front.

Looking sad and pensive, she stood there in silence for about five minutes as the party faithful chanted slogans against members of the BNP election conduct committee.

Party Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Saifur Rahman, Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, RA Ghani, Chowdhury Tanbir Ahmed Siddiky, Khandker Mahbub Uddin Ahmad and M Shamsul Islam attended the meeting.